Our Secret, Our Curse
by KuroiCho
Summary: COMPLETED with an epilogue! The story of the Karameru sisters, and their intervention with the Soumas (and the other way around as well). With power, there's always a curse. Anti-clichéy plot. Read it.
1. Prologue

Title: Our Secret, Our Curse.

Rating: PG-13 (probably won't go up near the end but hey, you never know)

Genre: Drama/Humor (I guess)

A/N: More and more OCs. Feh. Oh well, you've probably read so many of these stories so you can always read another one. Onegai! (Yes, I really am desperate.) I'm trying to update this regularly. And the first part is actually a prologue / introduction of the characters and what's the whole thing about.

**Prologue / Introduction**

Marande Karameru

- oldest of the four sisters

- possessing the Water

- personality ranges from a joker to a serious caretaker

Arameda Karameru

- possessing the Fire

- a bit more serious than Marande or Jelora, doesn't get angry very easily (but when does you better stay away from her)

Jelora Karameru

- possessing the Earth

- the joker, usually getting on Arameda's nerves, but always takes care of her youngest sister

Jirohino Karameru

- possessing the Air (that's why her hair always slightly sways even when there's no wind

- very quiet, doesn't like to be in a big crowd

- she has a second evil personality, her twin sister who died when they were still in their mother's womb

Marande, Arameda, Jelora and Jirohino are four sisters who transfer into Kaibara High (the reason will be explained in the following parts), same class with Tohru and the Souma boys. They have their own secret; they are possessing the four elements, Fire, Water, Earth and Air. And the curse is about Jirohino, their youngest sister. She has a second personality. When she was still waiting to be born, she had a twin sister. But it was meant only one of them to survive alive, and so they had a silent fight which of them should live. Jirohino won, but her dead sister's soul moved into her body and started to live in it. So usually when Jirohino is feeling weak or somehow she's not quite sure about all, her twin sister steps out and starts to possess her body. The most noticeable thing when she's in that condition, is that her eyes which are silvery grey, turn into black. After some time Jirohino usually gets a grip on herself and manages to will her sister away. But it's always very dangerous, her dead twin is very powerful magician and can almost easily kill a human with electric shocks. The main plot in the fanfic is mostly the sisters' struggle trying to fade Jirohino's evil personality.

And of course, they cannot do it without the Jyuunichi's interference.


	2. The Beginnings

Title: Our Secret, Our Curse.

Rating: PG-13 (probably won't go up near the end but hey, you never know)

Genre: Drama/Humor (I guess)

A/N: The first real chapter is on. I'm bad at cliffhangers but I want people to wait exitedly for the second part so... here ya go. Remember to review.

Oh, and some vocabulary for this chapter:

Baka - idiot

Itai - Ow/Outch/That hurt etc.

Ano.. - Umm, err... etc.

Hai - Yes, okay

Arigatou gozaimasu - thank you

Gomennasai - I'm sorry

Konnichiwa - Good morning

Kôchô-sama - principal

Kami-sama - God

* * *

The summer was over. All students tried to take all the joy from the last days of holiday, but in the end they still found themselves in the first day of school, rambling off from beds tired, searching their school uniforms and packing their backpacks.

This was also happening in the small house colonized by four teenager girls. The youngest of them, Jinohiro, was already up and making tea. The brilliantly white-haired fragile girl heard a door sliding open behing her. She turned around and saw her older sister, Arameda, heading to the shower.

"Ohayoo!" Jinohiro greeted happily. Arameda muttered a tired "Ohayoo.." and slammed the bathroom door shut behind her.

After a while Arameda got back rubbing her hair dry with a towel and accepted a cup of Jasmine-tea.

"Have Marande and Jelora woken up yet?" The red-headed girl asked.

Jinohiro shook her head. Arameda looked at her watch.

"Better go to wake those sleepy-heads", she said and took off.

* * *

Jelora was happily asleep in her bed. Her room was so comfortably dark. Her window was broken, so she had covered it with a piece of paper board. Plants grew through it.

She didn't wake up when Arameda slid open her room's door and asked the sleepy brunette to wake up. She didn't wake up when Arameda said her message again, a bit louder. However she _did_ wake up when her sister pulled off her quilt and shouted in her ear:

"Wake up you _baka_! You're gonna be late!"

Jelora screamed and fell off the bed with a loud thump.

"_Itaii.._" she muttered rubbing her head. She glared at her sister.

"You didn't have to do that!"

"Oh really? Honestly, get up. It's your last chance to get to school in time."

Jelora glanced at the clock on her bedside table.

"Kuso!"

Arameda smirked.

"I'll go to wake up Marande."

* * *

After jerking her other sister from the bed, Arameda returned to the kitchen. Then..

Two doors slid open right in the same time. Both persons who stepped out from the rooms took two steps, stopped and looked each other in the eye. A horrible moment of realizing, and then they both made a huge dash to the bathroom. The brunette was a few seconds quicker and slammed the door shut just in front of the other's nose.

"Kuso! Jelora, you baka!" the black-blue haired girl shouted while banging the door with her fist.

"Get a grip on yourself, Marande", Arameda said from the kitchen, "Wait for your turn." Marande stomped to the low table and poured some tea for herself. She didn't care to finish drinking it when Jelora suddenly ran out from the bathroom and Marande instantly ran into there. Arameda shook her head.

"Honestly, those two. And Marande's supposed to be the oldest one."

Jirohino just smiled. Right after the red-head had finished her sentence the aforementioned girl ran out of her room and asked from them:

"Hey! Neither of you happened to see my uniform?"

"I hanged it to dry in the porch", said Jirohino. Marande ran to the porch, and soon back to her room with her school uniform.

Arameda looked again at the clock.

"Hey! Hurry up! We must go within ten minutes!"

* * *

After some more complications all three of them were finally on their way to school. Jelora brushed her hair desperately trying to get it to dry more quickly.

They arrived to the school yard. Jirohino directly withdrawed behind Marande as they reached the other students.

"So many people.." The white-haired girl said in a quiet voice. Jelora snorted slightly and said:

"Well, what can you expect? It's a big school."

"Umm..Hey does anyone of you know where our class it?" Marande suddenly asked. They all stopped and received couple of curious looks from students near them.

"I'll take that as no. Great, what are we gonna do now?"

Arameda bit her lip.

"Ask from a teacher?" she suggested. They continued walking and started to look around for some helpful teachers. When they spotted none, they got inside and started to search teachers' office. They passed and open-doored classroom and then backed to look inside the class. There was a teacher tidying his table. He suddenly looked up and saw the girls standing at the door.

"Ano.." Marande started insecurely, "Could you tell us how to find class 15 B? Were new in here but on the second year."

The man smiled warmly.

"No problem. 15 B, you said? Right, you go to the second floor, there are stairs in the end of this corridor, just keep going, and in the second floor it's the third door on the right. Can you remember that?" he asked in the end.

Marande nodded and smiled back.

"Hai, arigato gozaimasu", she said and bowed a little. Then they hurried away.

* * *

The second floor was full of students and Jirohino nestled even closer to her sisters. They stretched their necks to see the numbers of the classrooms. Finally Arameda gave out a quiet yell.

"I can see it! It's 15.. 15.."

"Is it A or B?" asked Jirohino quietly. Arameda let out a frustrated sigh:

"Well, what do you suppose I'm trying to find out all the time?" She rose to her toes and screwed her eyes a bit.

"Yes! It's 15 B!" The others let out a sigh of relief.

"I suppose we should just wait at here and wait for the teacher to arrive", said Marande. So they waited.

* * *

After 10 minutes of waiting there was only couple of students left besides them. Marande leaned to whisper in Arameda's ear:

"Are you sure we should still wait? Shouldn't we like.. have a look at the class?"

Arameda nodded to this suggestions and gathered all them with her. She knocked gently on the open door and peeked in.

"Gomennasai.." she started and then took a full notice. Indeed full, as all the other pupils were already at the class! Arameda gulped and stepped quickly in and bowed.

"Gomennasai sensei-san! We didn't um.. find the class. Ano... we were a bit confused. We.. um. Sorry that we're late."

The teacher, young lady, smiled at her and asked: "We?"

Arameda got up again at realized her sisters were still in the passage.

"Oi! Get in here, we're late already!" she snapped to them. They all dashed in and immediately bowed and apologized for them being late. The teacher looked at some papers on her desk:

"Yes.. Misses Arameda, Jirohino, Jelora and Marande.. Karameru?" They all nodded. The teacher surveyed the paper with her look. She nodded.

"Yes, It says here you are new. So you came here from.. Nagasaki's High School?" They nodded again. The teacher glanced over the class.

"Allright then. Jirohino-san, please sit in the first row, there's a place for you. Jelora-san, you go there, Arameda-san you too. And Marande-san, go to the left row", the teacher said pointing their places for them. The girl bowed and quickly sat down.

Brown-haired girl next to Jirohino leaned closer to her and said:

"Konnichiwa. I'm Honda Tohru. I really hope you all like it here." Jirohino just smiled.

* * *

The first hour passed over and the four sister gathered up again. Arameda seemed rather anxious.

"What's the matter oneesan?" asked Marande. Arameda sighed.

"None of you probably know where's the principal's office?" she said. The three sister left looked suprised.

"Why are you looking for that?" Jelora asked curiously. Arameda smirked quickly and said:

"None of your bussiness. Sumimasen.." she tapped a student on the shoulder. The student turned around, deep purple eyes gleaming. Arameda decided it was a boy for his uniform.

"Sumimasen. Can you tell me where's the principal's office?" The boy blinked, then smiled slightly and said:

"Hai. It's on the third floor, so just go up the stairs and it's the second last door on the right." Arameda smiled.

"Arigatou."

She turned to her sisters and said:

"I'll be gone for a while, it matter how well he takes my request." Jirohino looked suspicious.

"Your request on what, Arameda-san?" she asked. The red-head smiled and waved.

"I'll be back in a sec!"

"Now wait a moment, what the-!" Jelora started but when Arameda clearly didn't listen her, she shut up.

"I just really hope she won't get herself in any troubles."

* * *

"WHAT?"

The principal was completely stunned. Arameda gulped slightly and repeated:

"I'm asking for a permission for to wear a boys' uniform, kôchô-sama."

The principal was trembling slightly. Then he turned his eyes down and shuffled his papers. He cleared his throat:

"This is truly unheard. Do you have any explanation why did you come up with this idea?"

Arameda's face stayed still.

"I am very sensitive to cold. And our school skirts aren't that warm, especially in winter. I can give you a medical certificate if you insist", she answered coolly.

"I want too see it", said the principal anxiosly. Arameda took a neatly folded paper from her bag and handed it to the principal. He grabbed it instantly and read it, eyes flashing. Then he put the paper to his desk and watched Arameda intensely.

"And why should I still give you the permission?" he asked.

Arameda didn't even flinch an eye.

"You have a boy wearing a girls' uniform in your school", she said. She had seen the boy, he was an unusually genki one.

"And he's breaking the school rules!" shouted the principal.

"Then why don't you expel him?"

The principal went quiet. He looked at his desk. He looked out of the window. Then he finally turned to Arameda and said in a defeated voice:

"All right, then. I'll give you the permission. You may ask the school secretary about your uniform. But I remind you this is a unique except."

Arameda bowed.

"Arigatou, kôchô-sama."

* * *

"Aargh.. Arameda's better to come quickly or she's gonna be late for the next lesson", said Jelora, leaning on the wall on her back and her arms folded. Jirohino surveyed at the crowd moving before them and said in a soothing voice:

"No need to worry about. I'm sure she's allright. She isn't the type who wouldn't be able to look after herself."

And right after that, they saw a glimpse of wavery fire in the crowd. Their sister was coming back.

"Where the heck where you?" shouted Jelora immediately when Arameda reached them,

"I really wish you didn't get in any trouble!"

"Be quiet, silly. You're the one who always gets in troubles", answered Arameda, swinging her bag on her back. The bell rang. Marande glanced at her sisters and said:

"Come on. Our lesson starts."

* * *

"So in theory, when these two groups react with each other, the result.."

The teacher's voice turned into gibberish in Jelora's ears. She leaned to Marande who was sitting next to her.

"Oi, oneesan, what's he talking about?"

"Don't ask me, I'm as confused as you."

"Kuso.."

Marande smiled.

"Don't worry", she said, "We'll ask Arameda to explain it all to us after the lesson in understandable language." Jelora sighed of relief:

"Thank _Kami-sama_ we have a smart sister."

* * *

Jirohino was feeling slightly nervous. It wasn't because of the albegra, she could handle it quite well. No, instead she had a terrible feeling something bad would happen. And usually she was right.

Suddenly she paled. She felt like a cold grasp in her stomach.

_Please, no. Not now. I can't.._ She clenched her fists and pressed her eyes shut, trying to concentrate. _Go away. Now._

Arameda noticed her sister's struggle and stopped listening the teacher. _No.. She can't... if she shows up now.._ Jirohino turned to look at her sister. Arameda looked back with pure horror on her face. Jirohino turned again to the teacher and raised her hand up in the air. The teacher stopped writing and talking and looked at the student with a frown on his face.

"Yes?"

"I'm not feeling very well", the white-haired girl said. The teacher looked suprised.

"Ah, well what's the problem?"

Jirohino gulped.

"I.. My stomach hurts." It was actually completely true. Then Arameda raised her hand.

"Yes?" the teacher asked again.

"May I go with her?" Arameda asked. The teacher looked annoyed.

"No you may not. Unless you have a stomach ache as well."

"Sumimasen.." a quiet voice of Jirohino's interrupted them. They both looked at her.

"I think it would be good if I'd have someone with me."

The teacher looked now very annoyed.

"Very well then", he said, "You two may go, but I demand Miss Arameda returns into this class right away."

The both girl bowed slightly and hurried away from the class.

* * *

In the corridor Arameda immediately turned to Jirohino.

"What's it? Is.. is it _she_?"

Jirohino's breathing was more like gasping.

"Yes", she answered in a faint voice, "It feels like her. But I can't-" the rest of her sentence was cut off when she gasped loudly of pain and falled on her knees to the floor.

"Jirohino! Are you allr-?"

"Shut up, you piece of shit", the girl on the floor answered. Her voice sounded lower than it was before. She got up and pushed her hair away from her face. The cold, piercing black eyes stared at Arameda.

"And no, Jirohino is not allright", she said with a mock sarcasm, "Not when I'm here." And something started to flash on her palm. Arameda ducked just in time when an electric shock flew just an inch away past her head and hit the wall.

Arameda herself created a flaming fire ball in her hands and aimed it to her apparently-not-her-sister's chest. It hit her hard and the white-haired staggered backwards.

"Why, you little-!" she shouted and attacked to Arameda.

In the next second Arameda found herself on the floor and the other girl slowly approaching her. A strong electric wave was crackling in her hand. A cold smile was curving her lips.

"So, this is how leaves Arameda, the possessor of the Fire." She raised her hand and planned to strike it at Arameda, but then the elctric ball on her hand withered away and her face went blank. A small wind blowed through the corridor. Jirohino's silver eyes were staring afraid before her.

"I.. I'm sorry", she whispered and collapsed on the floor.

"_Jirohino!"_


	3. Meetings

Title: Our Secret, Our Curse.

Rating: PG-13 (probably won't go up near the end but hey, you never know)

Genre: Drama/Humor (I guess)

A/N: Second chapter. Woo. There will be some Kyou's POV in this chap, so don't be surprised when you come across with it. And some hints to Jirohino's and her sister's past, about one tragic happening in there. More about it is still to come, so stay tuned (had to say that, tee-hee)!

And the vocabulary again:

Sumimasen - excuse me, pardon

Urusai - shut up

Tadaima - I'm home

imôtôsan - little sister

Mata ne - See you

Kuso nezumi - damn rat (like you didn't know that already)

Baka neko - stupid cat (-look above-)

naze - why

* * *

"_Jirohino!" _The shout made it's way to the class. Jelora and Marande quickly glanced at each other and then they both dashed out from the class.

"What the-! Where do you ladies think you're going?" shouted the teacher after them. A few students near the door were trying to peek to the corridor.

"Jirohino.." whispered Jelora quietly while stroking the girl's hair.

"Please wake up.." Marande looked at Arameda:

"What happened?" Arameda had a morbid look on her face when she answered:

"She.._She _came. And she.. well.. tried to attack me. But then Jirohino managed to will her away." Arameda looked at her sister lying on the corridor floor. "I guess it exhausted her completely."

"Sumimasen.. is something wrong?" asked a shy voice behind them. Jelora turned around. A brown-haired girl with big eyes stared at them, confused. Jelora smiled at her.

"Nothing big. Our sister just feels a bit dizzy."

"The school nurse is in the other end of the corridor if you need", said an amazingly girl-like boy behind the brown-haired girl.

"No, no.. I.. I don't think we need her."

"Make way! Make way!"

The teacher appeared behind the curious students and stopped when he noticed Jirohino on the floor.

"What happened?"

In a while, nobody said a word. Then Arameda said in a suprisingly fearful voice:

"Sumimasen, can I take my sister home?"

* * *

"There, there", Arameda muttered as she helped Jirohino to climb the few steps to their porch. Jirohino was still weak, though she was awake.

"I think it's better for you to lay down for a while. I'll make some tea", Arameda said and left her sister to lay down on the couch. She came back soon, carrying a tray with two cups and a tea-pot. She handed other cup to her sister who accepted it gratefully.

A moment passed in silence. Then Arameda asked:

"Did she say anything?" Jirohino shook her head:

"No, nothing."

Silence. Jirohino put her cup down.

"I think I'd like to sleep a while", she said. Arameda nodded and stood up.

"Hai. I'll leave you then."

* * *

"Run faster!" Jelora shouted at Marande. Their schoolday had finally ended and they were running to get home as soon as possible. They had almost blew up in their last lesson, they were so goddamn worried of Jirohino.

"I - can - see - it!" Marande panted when they started to approach their house. They both jumped to the porch and pushed the paperdoor aside.

"Tadaima!" Jelora shouted and noticed Jirohino on the couch.

"Jirohino!" she shouted and dashed to her. She kneeled besides her and tried her forehead.

"Hino-chan.. you're okay? You.. You're not feeling any sick?"

Jirohino shook her head and yawned widely.

"No.. no, I'm just tired, that's all."

Marande had walked to her, too. She watched her for a while and the gently petted her hair.

"Nothing to worry about, imôtôsan."

Jelora helped Jirohino up and they walked to kitchen.

"Oi! Who's going to cook tonight?"

"Not me, I did it yesterday."

"All right.. Let's see.. Arameda?"

"Urusai, you baka. I have work tonight. And so has Marande."

"Good point, oneechan. So that leaves only you over.."

"Sheesh. Allright, I'll cook. But if I hear even one complaiment then you can cook by yourself, ne!"

* * *

Arameda and Marande were on their way to their evening-jobs. Marande sighed.

"Sometimes I really wish we wouldn't have to work this hard. It's really not nice trying to do school and job at the same time."

"Yeah, but we have no choice. And when Jirohino can't go to work, we must do double much work as usually."

"That reminds me, did you give her her medicine?"

"Of course I did. She'll just be a bit sleepy for the rest of the evening, but she'll be allright."

"Un. Well, I go to this way now. Mata ne!"

"Mata ne."

* * *

_Feh, it's already over 8 p.m. I wish the others have saved some food for me. _Arameda put her cleaning requisites back to the closet and took her bag from it, slamming the door shut.

"Well, I'll be off now!" she called for the other workers. They waved for her. Arameda had just opened the outer door when a shy voice said behing her:

"Ano, weren't you Arameda-_san_?" Arameda turned around and saw, again, that same brown-haired girl. She had an enthusiastic smile on her face. Arameda nodded slightly.

"Hai, Arameda desu."

"Eh? Honda Tohru desu", said the girl and bowed. Arameda nodded again and looked slightly suprised. The girl (_Tohru? I like the sound of her name_) straightened up and looked Arameda in the eyes.

"I just thought... would you like walk to home with me? Of course I mean", she added a bit hastily, "if you live in the same direction as I, I don't mean to be rude or anything I just.."

Arameda looked now slightly amused. She smiled at Tohru and said:

"Hai, I'd love to."

* * *

"I remember you had sisters, too", said Tohru.

"Hai, three of them. Marande-chan had work tonight but she's probably home already."

"What was the names of your other two sisters?"

"Jelora-san and Jirohino-san."

"Oh.. ano.. Where did you move from?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Um, where did you move to here? Where did you live before?"

"Oh, we came from Nagasaki. That's where we were born."

"Nagasaki? I heard it's a nice place. Why did you move?"

"Um..ano.. we.. we had some problems at school."

"Oh, I see."

There was a silence. It's harder than you think to make a conversation. Arameda turned to Tohru and said:

"Here's where I must leave you. Where do you go from here?"

"I just go still forward."

Arameda looked surprised at the girl, then ahead of them.

"But.. there's only forest in there."

"No, it's not. Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun live there. I live with them in a house."

"Yuki-kun.. you mean that girly-boy?"

Tohru blushed a bit.

"Eetoo.. hai. Souma-kun, he is."

"Ah, he's a bit quiet one, ne. Ah, well, gotta go now. See you at school."

* * *

"This is ridiculous, how come can you wear a boy's uniform?"

"It has trousers, my dear."

"I know that! Why can't we wear those?"

"You don't have a proper reason, that's why. Only because you don't like skirts, is no a proper reason", Arameda pointed out at her pouting sister. Jelora was good at pouting.

"Anyways", Arameda continued, "Your skirt is way longer than anyone else's. Just look at the hem, it's all muddy because it's trailing in the ground."

Jelora sighed:

"It's not my fault. It just gets stuck on it."

* * *

"So... what do we have next?" asked Marande while they were at their bookcases. Arameda studied their timetable.

"Umm.. oh nice, douple lessons of Biology: now presenting human biology! Note the dripping sarcasm", she said slamming her bookcase's door shut.

"Come along, already."

* * *

"And who would like to tell us what's this bone over here?" asked the teacher pointing at the plastic skeleton in the front of the class. The skeleton was quite old, it's other leg was almost loose, and when Arameda sat down on her chair she was sure it was one of it's finger-bones lying on her desk.

* * *

"Woo-hoo! Lunch!" said Marande while stretching herself, "I'm so goddamn hungry, let's go fast."

They packed their rucksacks and started to walk to the door. Behind them that one brown-haired girl with her friends were looking at the skeleton.

"You think it is real?" asked the brown-haired. Then, suddenly, the skeleton moved it's jawbone and spoke:

"Hoo, what are you looking at, silly little girl?"

The brown-haired girl screamed and Arameda sighed.

"Knock it off, Jelora." Her sister's face appeared behind the skeleton.

"Why, my oneechan, wasn't that funny? Ne, Hino-chan?" she asked turning to look at the scared brown-head. Her face flopped.

"Oops, my mistake. Where's Jirohino?"

"I'm here", said the mentioned sister walking to them. Jelora slipped again behing the skeleton.

"Hoo, beware you little girl!"

Jirohino looked extremely bored.

"Ehehe, I'm just dying with laughter", she said. Jelora looked morbid.

"You could even _try_ to play along."

* * *

Jirohino was feeling tired. She hadn't felt any hungry (especially not after Jelora's very nice dining table conversation, subject being their past biology lesson). She was now walking on a hallway, when she suddenly felt dizzy. She staggered a little and took support from a wall. She sat down, her back leaning against the wall and massaged her temples. _I really wish _she's _not going to show up... _She grimaced when a wave of pain suddenly rolled over her head and without realizing, she fell unconcius.

* * *

"_Hello?" Hello, hello, hello.. the echo answered. She thought she was standing on a proper floor but there wasn't nothing underneath her. Nor was there above or aside her. She was floating in non-existence. She heard a voice, or more like sensed, or saw it. It forced it's way into her head, making her think:_

_"Ohayoo, dear sister."_

_If Jirohino would be the type to curse, she would have. She was here, again. She turned around (as much as it's possible to turn around when there's nothing where to turn around) and saw a shadowy figure some way away from herself._

_"Have you been well? Must be nice when you can actually do something. Have a body, and a mind", said (thought, felt and saw) the shadow. Jirohino stayed silent._

_The shadow smirked, or at least it made Jirohino think it smirked._

_"Now, now, no reason to be that rude. I'm just trying to keep up a cozy conversation."_

_The shadow moved closer._

_"Say something." It's voice was getting more menancing. Jirohino opened her mout and tried to think._

_"I don't find it really cozy to float around in here. Let me go", she said (or thought)._

_"Oo, you don't want me to push you aside again, ne."_

_The shadow was now even closer and it stopped for about a few metres away from Jirohino. She now realized it was getting more shape, referring a young girl._

_"Do you know what it's like to be here always? You're not being very equel to both of us."_

_"You know very well why I'm not letting you to control."_

_"Oh really? Tell me."_

_"Well, what about the people you've almost killed? All the damage you've done to us?"_

_"Now, now, I'd think you'd be a bit more exact. 'Almost killed', eh? You are not trying to let that one special person to fall into oblivion?"_

_Jirohino wished she could cry._

_"Be quiet."_

_"Why? You really don't want to remember how-?"_

_"Stop it! Stop it! Let me out! Let me _go_!"  
_

* * *

Kyou Souma was strolling on the hallways. He was almost exploding with anger. That _kuso nezumi _had again made him look like a fool. Kyou rubbed his sore chin. _Damn, that girly-boy was quite good in high kicks. _He turned around a corner. He stopped abruptly.

"Huh?" There was a girl lying on the hallway. It was actually that one girl from her class, that who was yesterday somehow passed out, too. _I wonder if she has somekind of an disease, like whatwasitagain narcolepsy. _He sighed at stooped down a bit to look more carefully at her. She looked like she was sleeping. He gently grabbed one of her shoulders and shook her a little bit. _Eh? Should I find the school nurse or something.. _His thought was cut abruptly when he felt slipping on something. It was the girl's school bag, which was lying next to her. _Kuso! _Kyou felt himself panicking when he bumped the girl. He was waiting a big _POOF_ to happen, but... it didn't.

However, the girl had woken up and she was getting quite afraid when she found an unknown male lying ontop of her.

"Ano.. eetoo.. who, what.." she faltered and Kyou quickly got up. He straightened his uniform a bit and looked apologetic.

"Eh, gomen, you had fallen asleep or something and I thought I should wake you up.. I just slipped on your bag." He pointed at the girl's bag, now decorated with a shade of footprint. The girl blushed a bit and started to get up. Kyou offered a hand but the girl seemingly pretended she didn't notice it and finally stood up a bit shorter than Kyou. She made something someone would have interpret as a smile.

"Hai, I remember, I felt a bit tired.."

An uncomfortable silence. Kyou tried hard not to shout out loud "What the hell are you?" _But.. I didn't transform..how..?_

"I'd better go", the girl said. Before Kyou managed to say anything she had already dashed away. _Damn, I didn't even have time to ask her name. _

"Oi! Baka neko, where did you go?" Kyou heard Yuki calling behing him. Kyou turned around and glared at his cousin.

"None of your goddamn bussiness, _kuso nezumi_", he grumbled and stomped past the grey-haired boy.

* * *

_That was bad, that was really bad! _Jirohino told herself not to panic. Last time she had had one of those weird "floating-in-non-existence" dreams (or something like that) it had meant her sister (_That monster is not my sister_, she thought angrily) had showed up even more powerfully. Usually after those attacks she had been totally exhausted for several days. _And she's getting more powerful all the time.. I must tell other about this._

She turned to the caféteria and found her sister... and three other girls with them.

* * *

"So, you're all sisters?" asked Uo while absent-mindedly eating her curry-noodles. Arameda nodded and gulped down the rest of the _onigiri _she had been eating.

"Though our youngest sister isn't here. I wonder where she went..." Hanajima turned her dark eyes to her.

"There's one more?" she asked in her usual quiet tone.

"Yeah, Jirohino-san. She said she wasn't hungry so she went somewhere, dunno where", said Marande. Hana-chan nodded. _One more, eh? I'd like to meet her, if her vibes are as interesting as these three I'll have to spend more time with them._

Hanajima watched slightly dozed the girls' auras. They were rather interesting, usually people's auras weren't this bright: Arameda-san's was flaming red and gold, very nice. Marande-san had kinda swaying shiny blue one, Jelora-san's was different shades of green and brown.

Suddenly there was a small rustle and Hanajima picked some new vibes. She, and the rest of the table turned over to look and Jelora smiled:

"Ohayoo, Hino-chan! Where were you?"

_Oh, this must be their fourth sister_, Hanajima thought. She took a quick look over her. _Hmm.. Should I be worried about that.. _Jirohino had really unique aura. It was almost shimmering white, almost transparent, but there was some big black spots in it. _Not very good, too many black spots are bad. _And then she noticed something even more alarming. There was a shadow just behing Jirohino, it seemed to move with her movement, staying with her all the time. _Well that's something I haven't... _her thoughts drifted off when she looked more carefully at the shadow. It had.. a form. A shadowy girl was standing just behing Jirohino, staring with black, piercing eyes right at Hanajima.

Hana stared back at it a moment. Then it blurred back into shapeless mass.

"..and this is Hanajima Saki." She realised she was being introduced and nodded slightly to the nervous girl.

* * *

Jirohino tried to think how to express her matter. Suddenly Jelora said:

"So.. Did you have something to say or..?" Her hand was making a small round movement, trying to hint Jirohino to speak. Jirohino bit her lip and said in a quiet voice:

"Arameda-chan.. can I.. speak to you for a moment?" Her sister turned to look at her. After some time she strartled a bit and stood up.

"Yeah, yeah. We'll be back soon", she said to the others and hurried away with her sister.

* * *

"What happened?" Arameda asked immediately when they got outside from the caféteria. Jirohino shrugged her shoulders slightly.

"It was.. I fell asleep. Or I think I did.. anyway, it was those dream-like things, and then _she _was there and.. well.. talked to me."

"Talked? You mean, did she tell you her.."

"No she didn't. I she had I would have told it first."

Arameda sighed. She hung her head down.

"So.. does this mean she's showing up again?"

Jirohino bit her lip.

"I.. I think so."

Arameda raised her head and tried to look securing.

"Well, then we just have to be careful."

"Oneesan.." Jirohino muttered. Arameda looked at her inquiringly:

"Nani?" Jirohino shivered.

"_She_.. she mentioned _him_."

Arameda's expression froze. Her eyes seemed to be looking into something not visible to other, recalling something. She drew breath and closed her eyes. Then she leaned closer and hugger her sister.

"There, there.. nothing's wrong.."

* * *

Kyou was wondering if he should tell Yuki about the meeting with that white-haired girl. He couldn't remember her name even for his death. _It just slipped from my mind. _Talking about Yuki, that _kuso nezumi _was yet again being way too friendly with Tohru. Kyou tried to ignore the fact the two aforementioned were walking behind him, chatting. Kyou could hear Tohru laughing. _Nah, I won't tell. He would laugh at me and anyway it's good to know something he doesn't. _Kyou turned around and shouted:

"Oi! Come on, I'm not going to spend the whole day just walking home!"

Yuki snorted:

"Well why don't you just go then? We don't need you here, _baka neko._"

Kyou clenched his fists.

"Fine, then!" he shouted and started to run.

* * *

"I'm off, then! Save some food for me, too!" Jelora shouted from the door and left to work.

"Hai, we will!" Arameda shouted back and returned to her cards. She played two queens. Marande grimaced.

"Oh, thanks a lot. I pass."

"I pass", said Jirohino and Arameda put the played cards aside. They were playing Dai Hin Min while waiting the food to cook.

"By the way, I met that orange-head from our class today", said Jirohino. Arameda raised an eyebrow.

"Really? What was he like?" Jirohino shrugged her shoulders:

"Dunno. He actually just bumped on me and then apologized. But then," she frowned a bit, "he just looked at me like I were some kind of an alien."

Arameda snorted:

"Baka. If he tries to bully you more let me know, ne." Jirohino blushed a bit.

"No, it wasn't like that.." she mumbled but neither of her sisters heard her.

* * *

"What are you talking about, _baka neko_?" Yuki snapped. Kyou sighed.

"I'm telling you, when she bumped to me, I didn't transform!"

"Mm-hm. Are you sure you really and literally bumped? You know, if you don't seem like you're hugging her you don't transform either."

"Urusai, _kuso nezumi! _I goddamn well know what I did!"

"Souma-kun, Kyou-kun, please don't fight!" Tohru shouted in tears. Kyou turned to her and forced himself to calm down.

"F-fine", she stammered and turned away. Yuki smiled to Tohru:

"I apoligize, Honda-san, if I made you worry." Tohru smiled wider and looked slightly panicking.

"No! Nothing like that, Souma-kun!"

_He's doing it again_, Kyou thought angrily. _So he doesn't believe me? Well I'll show him..  
_

* * *

"Gyah! I just overall hate that teacher!" Jelora whined when their Chemistry lesson had just ended.

"You should be a bit more careful what you say, Jelora. You're getting yourself in deep trouble if someone teacher hears you", Jirohino said quietly after glancing over her shoulder. They left the corridor and turned to the stairs. Jelora smirked.

"Come on, Hino-chan. Have a bit of humor", she said, nudging her sister on the arm. Unfortunately she forgot they were walking down the stairs.

Jirohino staggered, gave a small shriek - and fumbled down the stairs. For her luck, she managed to place her feet on the step. So in the result there was Jirohino running down the stairs, shrieking all the time. Arameda slapped Jelora on the head:

"Baka. You should be more careful, if something happens to Hino-chan, you'll have it." Jelora sweatdropped.

* * *

"Honda-san, are you doing anything after school?" Yuki asked from Tohru. She smiled:

"Iie, Souma-kun. Naze?"

"I was going to look up for one book and I thought if you would like to come with me."

* * *

"FOR GOD'S SAKE, MAKE WAY!"

* * *

Tohru's eyes were sparkling.

"Of course, Souma-kun! I'd love to!"

* * *

"MOVE ALONG! WATCH OUT THERE!"

* * *

Yuki smiled.

"That's good, Honda-san. I think it will be something you-"

"DOWN THERE, MOVE ASIDE!"

Yuki turned around suprised and the last thing he realized was a young girl running straight at him and they both falling on the floor.


	4. When the secrets come out

Title: Our Secret, Our Curse.

Rating: PG-13 (probably won't go up near the end but hey, you never know)

Genre: Drama/Humor (I guess)

A/N: Gomennasai! It took so long to update but I have loads of exams coming up and I had to clean up my room completely. Sorryy...

Err, right. The third chapter. I added separators to this chapter because apparently FF doesn't accept normal douple spaces I normally use. So, when you see () mark, there is some kind of an transport, time (short or long), POV or place. Reviews, onegai!

Vocabulary:

Daijoubu - okay, be alright

Anata - You

Boku - I

Hajitemashite - Nice to meet you

Yoroshiku - Actually an answer to "Hajitemashite"

Ecchi - blush well.. something along "nasty" and "perverted"..

Hentai inu - Perverted dog  
()

_ Kuso! Where did that girl come from?_ _I didn't realize her at all.. how I'm I going to.. now wait a second._ Yuki opened his eyes. The girl who had bumped on him was staring down at him. Then she suddenly startled and bounced up again.

"Gomennasai!" she cried, "I.. I weren't supposed to bump on you, I'm so sorry, I slipped on the stairs, I hope you didn't get hurt or anything!" Yuki smiled a stunned smile.

"Iie, I'm okay. Nothing to worry about." _What the heck? She literally bumped on me but.. I'm still a human.._ He opened his mouth to speak but then a girl's voice came from the stairs:

"Oi! Hino-chan, you okay?" Arameda looked worried, still remembering to glare at Jelora. Marande walked down the stairs to Jirohino. She stopped before her and looked her in the eyes.

"Daijoubu ka?"

"Hai! Daijoubu desu."

Marande looked over Jirohino's shoulder at Yuki. She gave him a small smile:

"Eh? Anata wa daijoubu desu ka?" Yuki stared at the girl a moment. Then he said, in a slightly insecure voice:

"Hai.. Boku wa daijoubu desu..."

Marande turned back to her sister.

"Come on, let's get going", she said, leading her sister away.  
()

"I told you!" Kyou said to Yuki when they stormed down the corridor. Yuki was still stunned:

"But how! That's the question! They aren't Soumas, I know that!"

Kyou nodded:

"And even if they were, they don't have the zodiac curse.." he muttered. Yuki stopped abruptly. Kyou stopped, too, and looked surprised at his cousin.

"We must find Haru and Momiji", Yuki said.

"You mean we can hug them! Whee!" Momiji bounced around, making Kyou slightly peeved. Yuki sighed and lovered his head a bit.

"Yes, as what we know. Both me and Kyou bumped in one of them and nothing happened." Hatsuharu scratched his head.

"Do you have any idea why is it like that?" he asked. Yuki raised his head.

"No", he said, "That's why we're going to ask them."

()  
  
Arameda stretched herself and yawned widely. Their day was finally over. She gathered her stuff to her bag and waited her sisters to join her. They had just stepped outside when someone called their names:

"Ano.. Arameda-san? And.. Jelora-san, Jirohino-san, Marande-san?"

They stopped and turned around. Arameda smiled.

"Ohayoo, Tohru-san." Tohru smiled and Marande tapped Arameda on her shoulder.

"Eetoo.. who are they?" she asked, referring to the girl and a group of boys standing behind her. Arameda answered:

"Well, the girl is Honda Tohru, the others I don't know."

Tohru smiled to them and started in an unsure voice:

"Ano.. we were just wondering.. not that we would want anything bad to you.. we.."

She was cut off by a boy with orange hair:

"We need to talk to you for a moment. So could you all follow us for some way?"

Jirohino paled a bit, Jelora tapped her on her back in a "no-need-to-worry" way, Marande looked suspicious, and Arameda nodded:

"Yeah, sure."  
()

_ I really hope we're not getting into trouble_, Marande thought. They were now in a disclosed street, some way away from school. Everyone seemed very irritated, and no one said a word. Marande raised her eyes from the ground when she heard Tohru's voice:

"Ano.. I think.. I think you'd maybe want to hear who they are.." She gesticulated at the boys standing next and behind her. Jirohino nodded silently. Tohru drew breath:

"So.. this is Kyou Souma", the orange-head nodded, "Yuki Souma", the girlish boy with big violet eyes smiled, "Hatsuharu Souma", the stone-faced teen waved his hand, "and Momiji Souma", the small blonde boy bounced around a bit. Marande nodded and smiled. She pushed herself away from the wall she was leaning.

"I suppose this means we also have to introduce", she said and looked at the Souma boys.

"I'm Marande."

"Arameda", her red-haired sister stated.

"Jirohino", just a small whisper.

"Jelora", her third sister said, "Hajitemashite."

Again a silence. Then Marande cleared her throat a bit:

"So.. why are we here?"  
()

Kyou bit his lip. _How on earth are we going to explain this.._ He looked at the four girl before them. He opened his mouth:

"Se.. it's just.. there's some little thing you'd better know about us.. uhh.."

"Get to the point, baka neko."

Jelora looked at him confused:

"Neko?"

Kyou grimaced a bit:

"Yeah, that's about the point. You see.. we have this.. curse." He glanced at his relatives trying to find out was he doing this right. He continued:

"Yeah.. so it's about when we're somewhat stressed and anyways under a great pressure, and when we're hugged by person from the opposite sex-"

"Who doesn't have the curse as well", Yuki noted. Kyou nodded:

"Yeah, so when that happens, we turn into the twelve animals of the zodiac."

The girls were now completely nonplussed. Hatsuharu opened his mouth for the first time after they got to the street:

"For example, Yuki-kun here turns into a rat, I into an ox-"

"It's a cow", Kyou muttered under his breath.

"Momiji into a rabbit and Kyou into a cat."

Arameda frowned a bit.

"But there isn't a cat-"

"In the zodiac, I know", Kyou finished her sentence with a shadow of bitterness in his voice. Nobody said a word for a moment. Then Yuki spoke:

"That's why we brought you here. You see", he looked straightly at Jirohino,

"When we bumped into Jirohino-san, we didn't transform. That's what caught our attention."

Arameda stuttered:

"So..you're saying.." She couldn't finish her sentence because she was so confused. They all startled when they heard a loud squeal from Momiji's direction:

"I wanna hug!!" enjoyed Momiji, bouncing alarmingly towards Marande. Kyou grimaced:

"Now wait a second you little-!" Hug. _POOF! _

As the result there was a very confused Marande holding a small rabbit. The girl was trying to get some words ouf from her mouth.

"Ano.. nani..eetoo.." She looked at others for some advice. Everyone else was staring at her with what-the-heck-look. Then Kyou bursted out:

"How- What..?! Why did he transform now? But when we.. we bumped at Jirohino.. we stayed in our human form."

Marande shook her head:

"I.. I don't know.."

Kyou looked like he would explode at any moment possible. Then he took few steps forwards without warning and hugged Jirohino. Nothing happened.

"See?" he exclaimed when he released the furiously blushing girl.

"Nothing! But why did Momiji transform?"

Yuki shook his head.

"I don't know." Then he looked like he just realised something:

"Um, we better move Momiji into a more privace place, ne?" Kyou frowned a bit and then grabbed the rabbit and Momiji's clothes and carried them to further off from the girls. Arameda frowned:

"Why's that?"

Suddenly every boy seemed rather irritated.

"Eetoo.. you see, when we transform into animals our..clothes don't transform with us.." Yuki explained blushing slightly, "So when we transform back, we're-"

"Yeah, yeah, got it already", Jelora interrupted.  
()

_ I don't like this silence at all_, Jirohino thought at herself. She was rather uncomfortable when everyone were wondering why the Souma boys stayed human if they hugged her. She was starting to feel depressed. _"When we're hugged by person from the opposite sex.."_ A person. A human. _Only just because half of my body belongs to that monster, we've gotten into this.. _

"Ano.. I think.. would you.." Tohru looked at Jirohino and her sisters, "Would you like to come at our home for some while? So we could sort this out?"

Jirohino looked at Marande who was standing next to her.

"Let's just go", she whispered to her, "It'll be all more easier that way."

Arameda nodded and forced a smile on her face:

"Hai, we'll come."  
()

"Ahh! You little rascals came finally home!" Shigure greeted them with a big smile. He looked curiously at the unfamiliar girls on his doorstep.

"And who are these young ladies?" he asked. Kyou glared at him:

"Don't start thinking any ecchi things, hentai inu!" Shigure looked offended:

"Me? Now please, certainly not me.."

All four sister glanced at each others. _Doesn't sound too good for me_, Jelora thought.

Yuki looked at them and then to Shigure:

"May I introduce you", he pointed at the grinning inu in his kimono,

"Shigure Souma, our cousin." He turned to the girls, still looking at Shigure:

"Our classmates, Arameda-san, Jelora-san, Marande-san and Jirohino-san."

"Hajitemashite", Jelora nodded. Shigure waved his hand.

"Yoroshiku."

Jirohino looked at the black-haired man.

"So you're the dog, right?"

The change of Shigure's expression was so sudden it was almost amusing. He looked terrified at the fragile girl, then at her sisters and then at Yuki and Kyou.

"Wha-? What have you-? How could she-?" he stuttered. Yuki stifled a snicker.

"We told them", he said. Shigure opened his mouth again, but Yuki stopped him:

"Now, before you say anything, I say we had our reasons."

He turned to Jirohino who looked at the ground.

"We both, me and Kyou, bumped into her, but we didn't transform."

He looked again at Shigure.

"Wouldn't that make even you suspicious?"

Shigure tried hardly to fade his amazement. He shrugged.

"I don't know. It's just.. you just go and blurt it out.." He shook his head.

"Wondering, what Akito-san will say about this."

Coldness landed into the room. Yuki gulped.

"You..You're going to tell Akito?" Shigure sighed.

"What do you want me to do, Yuki?" He held his hands up in the air.

"You think you could do something like that without Akito to know about it?"

"Not if you don't tell him", Yuki said in a cold tone. Shigure stood up and looked Yuki straight into the eyes.

"Please, don't force me, Yuki." And with that he left the room.  
()

Marande gulped. She was a bit startled by the coldness that had suddenly filled the room. She watched Shigure-san leave the room and hesitatingly turned to Yuki.

"Ano.. who is Akito-san?" Yuki lowered his head as he answered:

"Akito-san.. is the head of the House of Souma. He.. decides everything what happens with us and outsiders." After a short silence, Kyou said a thought his cousin seemingly didn't want to say:

"He decides can you keep your memory."

Marande gasped. She swirled around and looked demandingly at Kyou.

"Our memory? You don't mean we'll lose our memories!"

Yuki sighed deeply. His voice trembled a bit:

"Gomen.. We didn't think it would lead you into this."

Arameda threw her arm around Jirohino's shoulders when the girl was starting to shake violently. She shot an angry look at the Souma cousins, her chin held high.

"And you're just going to do it like that? Without any questioning?"

"We cannot go against what Akito-san demands."

Arameda clenched her fist.

"After all we've done.. all we've gone through and found out to seal away that-"

"Arameda!" Jirohino interrupted her sister's speak when she realised what she was speaking about. The red-head gathered her thoughts again and pulled herself up.  
()

Yuki noticed the girls' hesitating. He turned to them.

"I have started to suspect were not the only ones with a secret", he said. The girls seemed very nervous, which confirmed Yuki even more.

"If I'm right, I wish you would share it with us. After all, we've exposed our curse to you."

"Ano.." Jelora stammered. Yuki smiled warmly at them.

"If you're lucky, it could even turn Akito's decicion of erasing your memories."

The girls looked at him incredulously. Arameda turned to whisper something into Marande's ear and her sister nodded.

"Very well", Marande said, "But I demand you not to tell anyone about this!"  
()

They all were sitting around the table. Marande cleared her throat.

"What it comes to us.. and our secret. We have.." She hesitated a moment, looking for a right word.

"..we have powers", she stated, "to control the Elements. I have the power to posses water, as my Element."

"And as I have the Fire", Arameda said.

"I the Earth."

"The Air."

They were silent for a moment, to see how the others reacted to their secret. Kyou scratched his head in confusement.

"So.." he started, "You can control the elements? What does that mean.. you know, in practice?"

Arameda raised her forefinger in the air and screwed her eyes for a moment. There was a small flame flickering on her finger-tip. Suddenly everyone was staring at her. The flame disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, and Arameda sighed a bit:

"Quit staring, it isn't that big thing."

Yuki sat back a bit and raised his hand on his forehead.

"Well.." he said, "That sure is... pretty incredible."

"But what does that have to do with.. with that we don't transform?" Kyou exclaimed and pointed at Jirohino. The girl took aback and fell silent.

"Yes, that is still a mystery. Your powers are the same level as with your sisters, so that couldn't be the reason." A pair of amethyst eyes locked on Jirohino.

"Do you know, and can you tell us the real reason?"

Jirohino opened her mouth and shook her head.

"I..I don't...know." _Yes you do. Shut.. up!_  
()

Tohru didn't like the pressure that was reigning the room. She jumped up suddenly.

"I.. I think I'm going to make some tea! Who would like to have some tea, ne?"

There was a general murmur of agreement. Then Jirohino stood up.

"Tohru-san, I can make the tea."

Tohru stared at her amazed.

"Ano.. It won't be a problem for me-"

"No, please, I ask you. I can make the tea."

Jirohino walked to the door.

"Just tell me where you keep your cups and stuff!" she said, smiling. Tohru blinked. Then she too smiled.

"Hai, if you please. It's in the upper shelves, second on the right."

"Hai."  
()

_ Phew. I got out. I just wonder when they would have started questioning even more. And I really really don't wan't to talk about it. It's none of their concern._

Jirohino slid open the kitchen door and stepped in.

"Huh?" she uttered. She smiled.

"Oh, hello Shigure-san", she said, a little worried about his reaction. _After that cold speech in the living room.. He isn't really like that, is he?_ The inu turned around and noted the girl.

"Oh, hello there", he said warmly. Jirohino let out a mental sigh of relief.

"Ano.. I was just going to make some tea-"

"Good idea! May I help you?"

Jirohino blushed slightly.

"Iie..I'm fine."

She turned to the cupboard and started gathering the cups while Shigure chatted merrily behind her:

"Our introduction was rather poor. So you're Tohru-kun's classmates? Ah, I thought so. Are you new? Good to see new faces in here. So.. Have you got along in here?"

Jirohino nodded, then realized Shigure probably didn't see it and said:

"Hai, we have. It's very nice in here."

"Yeah, what can you say? It is a nice town. Say, I don't know you very well, so.. well, could you tell me, please?"

Jirohino froze at her position. She stammered:

"Uh, well I.... Eetoo..."

"No need to be embarassed. Tell me." He looked down on his newspaper but stopped reading when he heard a gasp. He raised his eyes again at the girl.

"Are you okay, Jirohino-san? What's wrong?"

After a moment the girl turned around.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing is wrong, Shigure-san."

Shigure smiled to her, and the frowned a bit.

"Hey, what's wrong with your eyes? I coulda sworn just a moment before-"  
()

In the living room the air was still heavy. Marande just wished Jirohino would finish that damn tea soon.

"Ano... I was just wondering-" Tohru started but they never found out what Tohru was wandering. There was a loud crash from the kitchen, followed by muttering, and a thump. They all looked at each other and then Jelora got up and went to the door. She slid it open, froze still and started running. Marande also stood up and ran after her.

"Jelora! What now?"  
()

"Wow, slow down. What's wrong with you?" Shigure asked in a shaky voice as the girl approached him. He felt his back facing wall and the girl smiled cruely. He felt his hair sticking up when an electring current was brought near his face.

"Do you know that an electric shock as strong as this can kill a human almost instantly?" she asked him like she was talking about the weather.

_ Kca-chachh._ A door slid open.

"Stop!"

In the corner of his eye, Shigure could see the figure of Jelora standing in the doorway, accompanied by Marande. The girl holding the electric shock in front of him, turned her head and smiled to the two other girls.

"Oh, hello", she said, "You came just in time. I'll just finish him off and then take care of you."

"NO! STOP IT!" Jelora screamed. The girl chuckled.

"Nu - duh." Fire hit her side. She stepped back from Shigure and grimaced a bit.

"You son of a b-!" Her voice trailed off and the electric disappeared.

Jirohino was back again and she collapsed on her knees.  
()

"Hino-chan!" Jelora shouted and ran to her sister. She grabbed her by the waist and lifted her to her feet. There was a moment, when there were only quiet mumbling sound from Jirohino and Jelora, then it was broken by a stunned voice:

"Wha- What the _hell_ was that?!"

Jelora sighed and looked at Marande with a morbid look on her face.

"I guess..we cannot hide this anymore. Arameda", she turned around to look at her sister on the doorway, "Give Jirohino her medicine and then..we'll talk."  
()

"So..." Marande ran her fingers through her hair, ".. You want to know what happened, right?"

Everybody nodded. A silence. Marande cleared her throat:

"Yes, as I told you, we are the possessers of the Elements. But.. I don't know should I call it a curse or what.."

"It's a curse", said Jirohino silently. Her back was turned to the others. Marande sighed a bit:

"Yeah.. see. Jirohino has.. a twin. A dead twin. She.. When they were still unborn, they had to fight for living. And Jirohino won. Fairly. Because her twin didn't completely die, only her body died, but her.. soul.. moved into Jirohino. And so", she glanced at her sister, who hadn't moved an inch:

"And so.. at certain times that twin emerges. She takes their body to her possession and.. As you probably noticed, she can use electric. She's really powerful, and.. and we're afraid someday Jirohino cannot anymore fight back. That's why we have all these years trying to find out how to seal her away."

Marande stopped speaking and silence fell into the room. Arameda looked at Shigure:

"You are really lucky, you know? A mere minute more and you would be in a condition between life and death." Shigure gulped loudly. He got up, shivering a bit.

"I think it would be a good idea to call to Hatori", he said and Yuki and Kyou turned to look at him, a warning look in their eyes. Shigure held his hands in the air.

"I have no ulterior thoughts." He looked at the four girls sitting around the table.

"But I think Akito would like to have a word with you."  
()

"And you are sure you didn't have anything to do with this?" Hatori asked from Shigure with who he was talking in a phone. He frowned,

"Hai, I understand. Mm-hmm. Hai, I'll inform Akito about this. Sayonara. I'll come around in there in half an hour or so." He put down the phone and massaged his temples a bit. _Kami-sama_, how did Shigure always mess up with things like this? Hatori pulled himself together and left his room.

He arrived to the Head of the House's room and called quietly:

"Akito-san? May I come in?"

There was a short silence. Then a calm voice floated through the door:

"Hai, come in Hatori-san." Hatori opened the door and stepped in, closing the door behind him. He kneeled on the floor and waited for Akito to say something.

"So, what do I owe for this visit? I've had my medicine already."

_Bitterness_, Hatori thought. He spoke in a deliberate and calm voice:

"Shigure-san called me. He said there has been a slight leak about the curse to outsiders."

He saw Akito reacting a bit. He turned his head to look at Hatori:

"And about how serious leak are we talking about now?"

"Four persons. They're sisters. They.." Hatori hesitated a moment, much to the displeasure of the Head of the House.

"They _what_?" Akito demanded in a warning tone. Hatori took a deep breath:

"They aren't -at least that's what Shigure-san said- as normal as they could be. A small peculiarity."

Akito's eyes flashed.

"Tell me about this 'peculiarity'."  
()

Marande looked suspiciously at the man standing before the car.

"Akito-san has been informed about your visiting", he said, his voice not showing the slightest sign of emotion. Marande made a mental note, _I don't like his voice_, and stepped into the car, next to Jirohino. It was quite a task to make 8 person to fit in a car planned at most for 5 person.  
()

The journey was spent in an uncomfortable silence. Marande sighed in relief when they finally arrived to the Souma estate. And immediately sighed in unbelieveness.

"Ano.. How big did you say the Souma family is?" she asked, still dazzled about the size of the place. Yuki walked past her:

"Pretty big, though there are only 14 persons presently under the curse."

Marande looked at her sisters, who all looked back at her. Marande tried to smile.

"Daijoubu", she whispered to them. Hatori gesticulated to them.

"This way." They all followed him.  
()

Finally they stopped at a large rice-paper-door and Hatori called in:

"Akito-san? They're here."

The voice that came from the room made Marande shiver:

"Oh? Please lead them in. I've been expecting them." Hatori shot a slightly nervous look at the girls and opened the door.

The room was dark, there was only one source of light coming from an open door in the other side of the room. There was a man standing in the doorway.

Hatori kneeled down on the floor and motioned the girls do the same. They all obeyed and waited for something to happen.

One silent moment passed. Then another.

The man in the doorway turned around.

"Very well, Hatori. You may leave now."

Hatori flinched a bit, though it was hard to notice it in the darkness.

"You.. You want me to leave?"

"Yes." The word itself wasn't an order, more like the tone it was said. Hatori bowed slightly, got up and left the room.

Marande felt a cold lump forming in her stomach. She was scared, as much as she hated to admit it. The man turned at them.

"Well, I think we have something to discuss about."


	5. Tense moments

Title: Our Secret, Our Curse.

Rating: PG-13 (probably won't go up near the end but hey, you never know)

Genre: Drama/Humor (I guess)

A/N: This chapter is a bit shorter, but I had to leave it there so it wouldn't interfere with the next chapter (which, if everything goes as I've planned, will be up soon). Nothing special in this chapter, though I had fun writing this. Lots of Akito-stuff.

Oh! And when there's ))(( it means somekind of a change of time, place or POV. And # # # is a flashback.

Vocabulary:

Minna-san - Everyone

Ja ne - See you, bye etc...

Sayonara - Goodbye

))((

"Hatori-san?"

Hatori closed the door behind him and raised his head to see Yuki's and Kyou's worried looks.

"How did you do it so quick? What-?" Yuki became silent, when he realised Hatori was alone. Yuki opened his mouth:

"Where.. Where are the girls?"

Hatori lowered his head a bit.

"Akito.. wanted to speak to them alone."

A shocked silence. Then Kyou bursted out:

"He WHAT?"

))((

Jelora gritted her teeth silently. The room's darkness made the situation even more pressuring. Akito turned his back to them again.

"You've found out our secret. And we have found out yours."

Basic statement. When Akito spoke next, Jelora could hear him smirking:

"It's hard to believe such young and petty girls would be the possessors of the elements."

_Young and petty?_ Jelora thought, clenching her fists and loosening them immediately. She glanced quickly at Arameda next to her. She wasn't really surprised to see her sister sitting up straightly, chin held up. Her brown eyes were blazing with fire.

))((

Arameda felt her insides burning with anger.

_I can't believe a young, skinny boy like that is bossing around everyone in the Souma family. For_ Kami-sama _no sake, he's barely older than us!_ She flinched a bit when her hands held against her legs suddenly grew burning hot. She gritted her teeth.

_Kuso! I can't control my powers!_ She willed the fire go away and looked up at Akito. The man stared right down at her, smirked and turned his eyes away.

))((

Akito was quite amused what he could do to these girls with just a couple of words. It was interesting to see them getting furious about his words, Hatori-kun, Yuki-kun... all of them just became afraid. _I have to admit_, he thought, _these girls have the guts_.

Akito watched them smirking, and then his eyes locked at one of them. A girl with shimmering white air, it was slowly swaying. _But the air's tranquil, there's no wind.._ Then the thought hit hit. _Earth, fire, water - and air. I see, she must be the possessor of the air._ Akito stared at her for a moment, waiting for her to raise her eyes from the floor.

Finally the girl did so, and looked Akito straight in the eyes. He frowned. _There's something wrong in her.. but I can't say what._

))((

Jirohino didn't like the man's look at all. The cold, black eyes staring at her, seemed to bore their way into her, seeing right through her. She shivered a bit, then Akito turned away and spoke:

"Very well, you may go now. Exept", he added when the girls were starting to stand up, "You, Jirohino-san." Jirohino felt coldness inside her and she glanced at her sisters. They all stared at her. She smiled faintly.

"It's okay", she whispered, "I'm fine."

Then she sat back on the floor and listened her sisters leaving the room.

))((

Marande shut the door behing her and immediately heard a shout behind her:

"Oi! Are you okay? What did he say to you?" She turned around and saw Kyou, Yuki, Shigure and Hatori standing there. Marande smiled to them:

"Oh, yes, we're okay. He just.. talked to us."

Hatori frowned:

"He didn't talk about anything inappropriate, did he?"

Marande shook her head:

"No, not at all. He was... very calm."

"Oh, that's good."

There was a silence, until Yuki said:

"Wait a second, where Jirohino-san?" Marande nodded at the room they had just come out.

"Akito-san said he wanted to talk to her alone."

Hatori looked stunned:

"He did?" Marande nodded.

"I see."

They all sat down, waiting in silence. Jelora leaned closer to whisper in Marande's ear:

"Now, when I think about it, those two alone in the same room. I can't decide should I be more worried about Hino-chan or Akito-san." Marande gave her a sad smile:

"You have a good point."

))((

_Oh no... What.. What does he want? I don't want to spend any extra time in here, the atmosphere is so pressuring._ Jirohino was getting nervous. With her sisters with her, she felt at least a bit safe. But alone, with him. The worst part was the long silence.

"Ano.." Jirohino started. Akito turned to look at her and she felt herself blushing immediately.

"I.. just.. uh.. what did you want to talk about?" she asked, hoping she didn't sound any rude. Akito smiled slightly. Then, for Jirohino's big surprise and horror, he walked to her and kneeled down at her eyelevel. He looked her in the eyes and asked:

"What are you hiding?"

Jirohino frowned:

"Eh? What do you mean?" Akito looked closer at her face before answering:

"There's something weird in you.. Something that makes you different than your sisters." _He.. he doesn't mean..?_ Jirohino gulped slightly.

"I.. I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do."

Jirohino lowered her eyes. Akito stood up and stepped back from her. When he spoke next, his voice was softer than it was before:

"You know, it isn't easy to be like this. I don't want to be like this." Jirohino raised her eyes and looked surprised at Akito.

"Like what?"

Akito turned to look at her.

"I was born only to die, Jirohino-san. I have been told that since I was a baby. Do you think it's nice to live, knowing that?" Jirohino felt stunned. _I never realized he had this sort of... To born, only to die..  
_

_# # #  
_

_"You're nothing, you know? You're just an empty shell, you stole my body. My life!"_

_"I didn't. I survived for a reason."_

_"And that is? You borned only so I could kill you. That's how it's supposed to go. You're going to die, Jirohino. I'm going to make it sure."  
_

_# # #  
_

Jirohino snapped back to reality when she heard Akito speaking.

"Go- Gomennasai, I was a bit lost in my thoughts."

Akito stared at her. He seemed to be again his normal self, behind closed doors. His voice was again cold:

"I've had enough chatting with you. For this time. We still have lots to go through. You're dismissed." He turned his back to her and walked to the other door across the room and to the porch. Jirohino stared at him, then quickly got up and left the room.

))((

"It's better Akito-san not to do anything to her", Jelora said. It had been several minutes after they had left Jirohino alone with Akito. Marande tapped her shoulder:

"Nothing to worry about, I'm sure she'll be okay." Jelora nodded, and then a door slid open. Everyone turned to look at Jirohino, who was more or less okay.

"Hino-chan!" Jelora exclaimed, standing up. She walked to her sister and hugged her.

"Daijoubu ka?"

"Daijoubu", Jirohino answered and smiled to the others over Jelora shoulder. Hatori frowned:

"Did Akito-san say anything about his decision?"

Jirohino's smile faded a bit. She shook her head.

"No", she said, letting go of Jelora, "I think he wants to talk to-" Her sentence was cut off by Akito.

"Hatori-san", his voice came from the room, "You may now take the others home. Then we need to discuss."

Hatori nodded and stood up.

"This way", he said and lead the others outside. Their visit in the Souma estate was over.

))((

"Welcome back, minna-san!" Tohru greeted them all when they arrived back to Shigure's house. Tohru welcomed them all and asked:

"Are you hungry? I think it's about time for supper."

There was a common murmur of agreement. Tohru realized Arameda, Jelora, Marande and Jirohino were still there.

"Oh! Would you like to have some supper, too? I bet you're hungry after that day!"

Arameda smiled to her:

"No, we don't want to be any burden to you, Tohru-san. And anyways, I think it's time for us to go home as well."

"Oh, okay then. Oh, Hatori-san? What about you, or are you too busy?"

Hatori gave her a small smile:

"I'm afraid I have things to do, Tohru-san. Maybe some other time."

"Okay. Ja ne!" She waved to Hatori as he drove away.

Marande cleared her throat a bit.

"Yes, I think we'll be going too. We'll see you tomorrow at school, then", she said, her sisters starting to leave as well. Tohru smiled and waved to them:

"Sayonara, minna-san!"

The four sisters left with soft muttering about who will cook tonight. Tohru turned to look at Kyou, Yuki and Shigure. Shigure smiled contentedly.

"Well, that was really some interesting day."


	6. Dialogues

Title: Our Secret, Our Curse.

Rating: PG-13 (probably won't go up near the end but hey, you never know)

Genre: Drama/Humor (I guess)

A/N: So this chapter is short, too. As the title says, it's dialogues. Try to guess who are talking in which one (though there is actually no guessing). And I haven't remembered this in the earlier parts, but I thank my faithful reviewer Bluesakuramon. Thanks also to AnimeGirlInyasha, and Sakura Sohma for the first part.

Vocabulary:

chotto matte - wait a second

* * *

"You called me, Akito-san."

"Hai, I did."  
....

"That girl... Jirohino-san."

"Yes?"

"Shigure-san didn't say anything more about her, did he?"

"She's the possessor of the Air, that's all."

"I see."  
....

"More about Jirohino-san, what did you talk about when you were alone?"

"That's none of your concern, Hatori-san."

"Of course not, Akito-san. Gomen."

"Hai."  
....

"After you've talked with them.. Have you made your decision?"

"About their memories?"  
....

"Let them keep them."

* * *

"Tohru-kun."

"Oh, Kyou-kun! You startled me!"

"Eh.. Sorry, I didn't mean to.."

"I thought you were on the roof."

"Yeah, I.. I was thinking a bit.. and.."

"Eh, Kyou-kun? Why are you blushing?"

"Nothing. So I said I was thinking.. about.. about.."

"About what, Kyou-kun?"

"..eetoo..I.."

"Kyou-kun..?"

"Tohru-kun, I've needed to say-"

"_What_ are you doing, _baka neko_?"

"Perfect.. Nothing, _kuso nezumi_."

"Ah, chotto matte, Kyou-kun!"  
....

"Well, he's gone now. What were you talking about, Honda-san?"

"Iie.. Nothing, Souma-kun.."

* * *

_"Ehe.. You're really getting desperate aren't you?"_

_"Well, my evil twin sister is trying to kill me and my sisters and my friends, what am I supposed to do?"_

_"Friends? You? Give me a laugh... And who are you calling evil?"  
...._

_"Oh, getting timid are we?"_

_"Be quiet."_

_"But I haven't even said anything bad yet.. Or should we talk about hi-"_

_"No!"_

_"Oh, hit the tender spot?"  
....  
_

_"Please, don't start moping."_

_"I.. I'm not.."_

_"He was a pretty one, wasn't he?"_

_".. Please.. d-don't..."_

_"But it was a pity how life suddenly escaped from his beautiful eyes.."_

_"Shut - up."_

_"Mm-hmm. Maybe I will. But I can promise, he will not be the last one."  
....  
_

_"Do you have a special favourite from them? What if I pick that girly-boy?"_

_"Don't you dare to touch him. Any of them."_

_"Starting when have I obeyed your will? I'd advice you to find your black dress."_


	7. Unsuspecting invitation

A/N: Teehee.. I've been reading only FAKE and Gravitation for the past week and I'm feeling so weird.. Hee.. Talking about shonen-ai obsession... cough So, where was I.. Right! Chapter 6! It's here! Woo... I just had a major inspiration for the upcoming parts. Lots of angst. I'm so good at angst. Whee. So, the next part will probably be a major happy-happy-joy-joy thing but after that... DOOM! I just love flashbacks, don't you too? (Uuschaschascha.. Ohii!) Review greatly appreciated! And, I just found out a major spoiler about Akito, and that kinda screws up with my fic, so I'll just ignore that. So no spoiler reviews! None of them.

Yappari - I knew it.

Sensei - teacher

Ja ne - See you  
  
))((

"I didn't get any sleep last night", Jirohino complained rubbing her eyes. Her sisters and Tohru smiled to her. They were at Souma's where they had started to spend more and more time. Marande patted Jirohino on her back:

"There there, I'm sure the nightmares will go over soon-"

"Ya cheap bitch! That was so cheating!"

"Shut up, orange-top. You're just being a bad loser", Arameda stated calmly, taking the cards from the middle and putting them aside. Kyou was furious for starting to lose to a new girl.

"Yeah, yeah. And when exactly did you get so good in Dai Hin Min?"

"None of your bussiness. Your turn."

Marande sighed:

"You two, cool up or I'll personally confiscate those cards." The two red-heads glared at each other and then, very reluctantly, shut up. Marande turned her back again to them. They heard a ping, and Tohru bounced up:

"That's the bell! Come, minna-san! Food's ready."

"Aww, you wouldn't have to, Tohru-san", Jelora said but still got up eagerly. Everyone else also got up but Jirohino stayed still. Marande looked surprised at her.

"Hino-chan? Aren't you coming?" Her sister shook her head and smiled.

"No.. I'm not hungry." Marande shrugged her shoulders and went to the kitchen.

))((

_Nice.. so peaceful.._ Jirohino winded her arms around her legs and pulled them closer. A small warm wind was blowing through the porch.

_"I was born only to die.." Why do the other Soumas talk about him like that? Like he's evil? He's completely different from what they've told to me.. Though, Akito-san seems like a person who doesn't let others close._ Somehow Jirohino felt proud. Somehow she had managed to make Akito open up, maybe just a little bit. But still. She allowed herself to smile.

Then she heard grumbling behind her and turned around. It was Kyou.

"Kyou-kun?" Jirohino asked, "Why aren't you eating?" The boy marched to the porch and sat down.

"Leeks", he said simply, "I hate leeks. That _kuso nezumi_ asked Tohru-kun to make those again, even when he knows I hate them." Jirohino listened him and said then:

"I have wondered why do you fight so much. Of course, it's natural, you being the cat, him being the rat. But still.." She heard Kyou sigh deeply:

"That's not it. Or maybe it is. I don't know. I just want to beat that damn girly-boy. Then I.. I could be a formal member of the Soumas." Jirohino raised her eyes from her knees and smiled.

"Yappari", she said, "So you are the outsider because of the zodiac fable. Because the rat tricked the cat.."

There was a short pause. Then Jirohino spoke:

"Sometimes I wonder... _why_ did the rat do it? I mean, is it really that fun to make others look like fools? To make everybody hate them or laugh at them?"

She lowered her head so her face was hidden by a veil of white hair.

"To isolate them from others?"

))((

Kyou looked surprised at Jirohino. _I've never heard her speaking like that._. He shook his head slightly.

"What do you mean 'isolate from others'? If you're talking about yourself, you always have your sisters. You're never alone." He watched Jirohino raise her face to reveal a bitter smile:

"Yep. I'm never alone." Kyou stared at her for a moment and then turned his head.

"I.. I'm sorry. I didn't realize you.. meant.."

There was a uncomfortable silence.

"No.. it's okay..", Jirohino whispered, "It's my fault, having her inside me. Being too weak to push her away."

Kyou felt a sudden urge to pat the girl on the shoulder but something told him not to do it. So instead he just kept his face turned away from her. _What should I say? Can I do something.. But.. Somehow, I know how she feels.. having a curse of that sort. Then he suddenly thought, I could tell her about my curse.. _Kami-sama,_ I'd really need to share it with someone.. And her.._

"Jirohino-san.. I..", he started but Jirohino shooked her head and hushed him silent.

"No, don't apologize. It's not your fault."

"Iie, I didn't me-" But she cut him off again. Jirohino stood up.

"Un. I think I'm going to look at the others", she said and walked away, leaving Kyou alone. He stayed still, just thinking how close he had been.. finally someone to share his secret with..

"_Yep. I'm never alone."  
_

_  
_))((

_"Kuso!_ I'm going to be late!" Marande dashed down the corridors. She had been talking to a few other students and hadn't realized the time. She - was - late. _I hope Hidogawa-sensei isn't angry..._ She turned around a corner, and cursed.

))((

Yuki was studying some of the papers he had been given in the student council meeting. He was late from class, but the teacher wouldn't be angry after Yuki told him about the meeting. _So.. I have to fill in these for tomorrow.. and these.._ He heard footsteps before him, and then heavy breathing. He raised his eyes from the papers.

_Kuso!_ Marande was running towards him, unable to stop herself because she had been running so fast. _If I bump her, I'm going to be in really bad trouble! What am I-?_ Slam! Yuki frowned a bit. Apparently Marande had managed to stop herself in time, slamming herself in the wall. She pushed herself away from the wall, grimacing a little.

"Oh, Marande-san. Daijoubu ka?" Yuki asked worriedly. The girl smiled slightly:

"Yeah, yeah. I'm okay." She looked at her wrist watch.

"Kuso! I'm sooo late! Bye, Yuki-kun!" She said waving him as she ran away. Yuki smiled back.

"Goodbye, Marande-san."

))((

In the shadows of the corner of the corridor there were three pairs of glimmering eyes.

"How dare she..?"

"She almost _hugged_ him.."

"And he smiled to her.."

"Why, why WHY?"

"She's not going to get away with this."

"HAI!"

))((

"Oh, Marande-chan, are you really okay with that?" Jirohino worried pointing at a small lump on her sister's head. Marande smiled and nodded:

"Yeah, it's not that bad." Next to them Jelora frowned:

"It's been a while since I've seen Hidogawa-san that angry. I mean, you were only about five minutes late."

"I heard someone made fun of his size again", Arameda said. All four sighed. Their chemistry teacher was incurably the shortest teacher in their school. Every sister was at least head taller than him.

They arrived at their bookcases. Jelora cheered:

"Optional studies! I have music, what do you have?" Arameda glanced at her timetable:

"Physics." Jirohino nodded: "Me too." They turned at Marande:

"And you?"

"English", Marande answered. Jelora sighed and grinned:

"I still can't understand why you chose that subject!"

"No, it's actually quite fun! And it's not even hard!"

Arameda shook her head amused.

"Well, anyways, we need to take off. Ja ne!"

"Ja ne!"

"See ya!" Marande said, in English. All her sister froze still and stared at her nonplussed. Marande sweatdropped.

"It's same as 'Ja ne'.." All her sister's had a 'Ooh.."-look and then they waved to each other and dispersed.

))((

"By the way, Arameda-chan", Jirohino said while they were on their way to their class. The read-head nodded, indicating she had heard Jirohino.

"Did you.. tell everyone about my last.. dream..?"

Arameda considred this quickly, then grimaced.

"Kuso! Marande! I didn't tell her!" With that she dashed to the direction they were coming from. Behind her back, Jirohino sweatdropped. She glanced at her wrist watch.

"Hmh. She's going to be late from class.."

))((

_Let's see.. irregular verbs..uhm.. drink, drank, drunk... err.. drive, drove, driven... be, was/were, been.._ Marande was chanting in her head, so intenselym she didn't notice three persons creeping behind her. ..._ bend, bent, bent ..._

"Are you Marande-san?"

Marande startled a bit for the sudden voice. She turned around and saw three, surprisingly angry-looking, girls. She nodded:

"Hai, I am. And you are?"

All the three girls took a deep breath.

"Say Y! Say U! Say K! Say I! YUKI! WE love YUKI!" They were chanting, doing some kind of a dance at the same time. Marande stood there in shock. When the girls finally shut up, she massaged her temples.

"Gah, you're giving me a headache.. So, you love Yuki-san, what does that have to do with me?" All the girls' eyes were glinting.

"Earlier this day.."

"..you almost bumped into Yuki-sama.."

"....and you smiled to him.."

"....and he smiled back to you.."

"We, as Price Yuki Fan Club, cannot allow that kind of behaviour!"

Marande sweatdropped. _Geez, what's wrong with these people.._

"Yeah, well, I wasn't going to ask him for a date or something. You keep him all to yourselves", she said, but the PYFC was still flared up.

"You better not! Yuki-sama is ours, and only ours! We do not allow other girls get closer to him than we do, that's strickly against the rules! And-!"

"What's you major malfunction, maggots?"(1) A calm, but seemingly annoyed voice came behind them. The PYFC turned around.

"Who are you calling maggots, carrot-head?" they shouted. Marande didn't know shouldn't she gulp or laugh. It's was Arameda. Standing right before the PYFC. She couldn't hold back a snicker. Arameda stooped down a bit and looked the first girl in the row straight in the eyes.

"If you didn't notice", she said, voice full of despise, "my hair is red. Not orange. Besides, that's not the point. The point is, that you idiots are deeply troubling me and my sister, when we have more important matters to handle than shooing away your kind of people."

The PYFC, most to their own bad luck, didn't realize how much they had gone over Arameda's rage. So they shot back:

"So your her sister? Maybe we should warn you, too! If any of you freaks dare to go close to Yuki-sama, we-" That was as far as she could go. Arameda had grabbed, most to Marande's surprise, the speaking girl from the collar and pulled her close. The girl was now balancing on her toes. Arameda was literally bursting fire.

"Who are _you_ calling _freaks_?" she asked, voice shaking from anger. The two other girls stepped back. They seemed finally realize what they were doing. The girl Arameda was holding had paled to as white as chalk. She stammered:

"Uhm.. no one.. ehe he.. could you let.. go? Our class is.. starting.."

Arameda let go so fast the girl dropped to the floor. She quickly got up and they all ran away. Arameda turned to Marande, who was staring in shock at her sister. It had been a while since she had seen her so angry.

"Err.. Arameda-san?" she asked, hoping her sister wasn't still angry. Arameda gave her a calm smile.

"Hai, Marande-san?" _Phew, so she's not angry anymore._.

"Erm.. what are you doing here? I thought your class started already?"

"Yeah, well, I remembered I needed to talk to you. Come here", Arameda said beckoning Marande to come closer. When she was next to her sister, Arameda whispered:

"Jirohino said she had another 'dream'. With her. And.. she said, Jirohino I mean, that we need to be careful with the Soumas. She may be having her eye on them. And that means.."

"I get it", Marande whispered back. Arameda looked at her feet.

"You realize.. we cannot let her do it again.." Marande also stared at her feet.

"No, we can't. I understand, Arameda-san. I'll be careful."

))((

"Ohayoo, minna-san!" Tohru cheered. All the sisters smiled to her.

"Ohayoo, Tohru-san. How are you?" Arameda asked. Tohru had a huge smile on her face.

"I'm fine! I have something for you! As you know, the sakura season is coming up, and so..", she handed four cherry decorated envelopes to the sisters, each one having one's name on it,

"I'm having a party!"

There was a silence, small sounds of envelopes opening and the girls reading the invitations. Arameda smiled:

"That's very nice from you, Tohru-san. We'd love to come."

"Next Saturday? Right, I'll be there."

"Me too, Tohru-kun."

"So, who all are coming?" Marande asked, putting the invitation in her rucksack. Tohru counted with her fingers as she enumerated the guests:

"Well, you four, then Hana-chan and Uo-chan, Souma-kun and Kyou-kun...oh, then I need to ask Hatsuharu-san and Momiji-chan, too.."

"So that makes 10 persons. Or 11? 12? Does Shigure-san count in, too?" Jelora asked. Tohru's smile widened.

"Oh! I had forgotten all about him! And and.. oh, Hatori-san could come too.. and Aya-chan.. and Kisa-chan.."

The sisters frowned a bit.

"And.. who are these persons again?" Arameda asked. Tohru clapped her hands together happily.

"Oh! They're the Souma family! I think I.. I could actually invite them all! They're such a nice people!"

The sisters all stared at Tohru. Marande cleared her throat:

"Say.. how big was their family again?"

))((

"Jelora-chan, I know the invitation says 'You are welcome to stay over', but we live close to them so couldn't we.."

"Hino-chan! Don't spoil the fun! That's the point of parties; to stay over! That's where all the fun comes from!"

"I thought it was the games.."

"Don't let her get on you, Jirohino-san."

"Now when you mentioned it. Games. Tohru-san asked us all to bring a clothes peg, didn't she? What's the point of that?"

"I dunno. Let's just take them. Oh, Jelora-san! Here's yours, catch!"

"Bwaah! Careful now, oneesan!"

"You two, get serious. And finish your packing, we'll be late!"

))))))))))))))))()((((((((((((((((

(1) Who recognized the line? It's from Fairie's Landing, the part from vol.2 when Jehui-sensei is asking Ryang to stand up and read. And then hits him on the head and starts scribbling on him. And she says it just like that: "What's your major malfunction, maggot?" Malfunctional is a nice word. Dysfunctional means the same thing, and it's a nice word, too!

Wait for the next part! It's the party!


	8. The party for the nightmare

A/N: Gyah! I always forget to thank my reviewers! Baka me! Baka, baka, baka! So thank yous to AnimeGirlInyasha and Bluesakuramon. And about your earlier question, Bluesakuramon, I'm not sure about the pairing. Bad thing, beacuse I really fancy Kyoru-pairing. But I'm not sure (but you won't stop reading the fic if it does end up as Kyoru?). But, enjoy the 7th chapter, and remember to review! There's a major cliffhanger in the end, and major angst in the next chapter.

Itadakimasu - I humbly accept (you say this before you eat, it's like saying grace with christians)

baka ushi - stupid cow

Oyasumi - Good night

))((

"Hi! Welcome, minna-san!"

"Wow! It's so pretty!" Jelora exclaimed as the sisters entered Shigure's house. The whole place was decorated with blooming sakura sprays. Tohru smiled:

"Yeah, isn't it? And the scent is wonderful, too! But come on in! You can leave you things there, and your shoes there.. Oh, and did you remember the clothes peg?"

Marande fetched her own from her pocket and showed it to Tohru.

"Yeah, we did. But what's the point with these things?" Tohru just kept smiling and collected the pegs from the girls.

"Nah, don't worry about it. You'll find it out later."

The sisters put down their coats and walked to the living room with Tohru. They recognized Uo, Hana, Yuki, Hatsuharu, Kyou and Momiji, but the three other persons in the room were unknown to them. Tohru led the girls to a person with long white hair.

"This is Ayame-kun. Ayame-kun, these are the Karameru sisters." The sisters nodded and greeted the man, who smiled widely to them.

"Oh, what a pleasure to meet you! Tohru-kun has told a lot about you!" Next to them Tohru muttered: "Well actually I haven't but oh well.." She cleared her throat.

"And this is Kagura-san", she said, motioning at a young girl with brown hair. The girl had a firm grip from Kyou's shirt's collar, and Kyou himself didn't seem to enjoy his time that well.

"Oh, hello!" the girl said happily. The sisters waved at her a little nervously.

"Ano.." Jirohino asked quietly from Tohru, "Why is she hanging all over Kyou-san?"

Ah, you see, Kagura-san is madly in love with Kyou-kun, though Kyou-kun doesn't seem to respond her affection", Tohru explained happily. The sisters nodded.

".. I see.." they muttered. Tohru moved along and the sisters noticed they were staring eye-to-eye a young little girl.

"And this is Kisa-san!" Tohru said smiling. The girl smiled back to them and asked shyly:

"Are you Sissy's friends?" The sisters were a bit nonplussed.

"Sissy?"

"Oh, that's me", Tohru said. Jelora looked at her.

"So is she your sister or..?"

"Oh, no! It's just a nickname."

"I see..", the sisters muttered again. They looked around and Tohru hurried around pointing their seats to them. Just when they had sat down they heard low growling. Marande inclined her head a bit.

"Sounds like a car to me", she said.

"Oh, it must be more guests!" Tohru exclaimed and ran to the door. They heard car doors slamming and quiet murmuring. They also heard Tohru's voice but they couldn't find out what she was saying. The voices came closer and soon Tohru returned to the living room with Hatori, a young boy and an person who's gender the sisters couldn't find out. She chatted with them for a moment and then headed back to the sisters.

"Well, you know Hatori-san already, that one's Hiro-san", she said pointing at the young boy, who had walked straightly to Kisa-chan and sat down next to her,

"And that's Ritsu-san", she pointed at the androgyn figure, who apparently was male, since he was furiously apologizing for slightly nudging Kagura-san while getting to his seat. Hatsuharu knocked Ritsu to the head and shouted him to shut up. Marande sweatdropped.

"Eh.. don't they like each others or..?" Jirohino asked hesitantly and Tohru shook her head smiling.

"No! They are friends and all, but Hatsuharu-kun just has found out that is the best way to get Ritsu-san quiet when he starts apologizing." Tohru let out a quiet squeal and ran to Hatori who was still standing up.

"Hatori-san, you can sit there-"

"No, no, Honda-san. I'm afraid I still can't stay", Hatori said, trying to get an sorry tone to his voice. Tohru's smile faded a bit.

"But.. can't you stay only for a little while..?"

"I'd really love to, but... to leave Akito-san alone, without anyone to look after him.. I cannot relax if I'm not there. Please excuse me", Hatori bowed to Tohru, who nodded to him.

"Merry sakura-season, to you still, Hatori-san!" she wished him when he left. Then she came back to the living room.

"Oh well, everybody who informed to come is here, so let's start the party! I have some really fun games for us to play! Did everybody bring the clothes peg?"

A common murmur of assent. Tohru smiled widely.

"Great! Then we can start. Everyone stand up, I'll give you all one peg... Everyone has one? Great! Now, clip it on your clothes, just somewhere not too difficult to catch.."

"You know, I'm starting to have a bad feeling about this..", Jelora whispered when she fastened the peg on her shirt's sleeve. After Tohru had clipped on her own peg and everyone else seemed ready as well, she grinned:

"Now, the idea of the game is to try to catch the pegs from others and try not to loose your own. If you loose your peg or pegs completely, you're out of the game and you go aside from others and sit down. The last one left wins."

There was various expressions in the room. Persons like Momiji and Kisa were bouncing slightly of joy, persons like Kyou and Hiro were looking very unbelieving. And perv- cough persons like Shigure and Ayame were grinning cunningly. Arameda let out a quiet whistle:

"Well.. this is going to be interesting.."

"Game starts - now!"

))((

"Ha!" Jelora let out a shriek of glee when she managed to snatch Marande's peg. Her sisters stuck out her tongue and grinned:

"Nee! I still have one left!"

The game was funnier than they first knew. Marande made a quick duck when Kagura tried to attach her and managed to avoid loosing her last peg. She got a brief glimpse of Ritsu, shouting and bowing to a gaping Jirohino.

"GOMENNASAI! I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO TAKEN YOUR LAST PEG! I'M NOT WORTHY OF IT, I'M SO SOR-!" _Whack!_ Hatsuharu knocked Ritsu on the head again and snatched his pegs.

"Shut up. And you're out. Both of you."

Marande grinned again and hastily escaped from Momiji. She dived forwards Uo-chan and extended her hand..

_Clip!_ She looked surprised and then realised where the peg in Uo's hand came from. She snorted.

"Seems like I have something to improve", Marande said. Uo-chan nodded and stepped backward putting the peg in her sleeve. And then she slipped. And started to fall right against Yuki, who was standing behind her.

Marande let out a silent gasp and tried to grasp Uo's flailing hand. _Kuso! Why did he have to stand there right now..?_ Marande felt her hand meeting someone else's and tightly grasped it. Uo-chan stopped falling and Yuki managed to make improvised withdrawing.

Marande pulled Uo back to her feet and then she realized the whole room had suddenly gone quiet. She glanced around and saw every member of the Souma family staring at them, eyes as round as full moon. Then they all let out a sigh of relief and returned to the game. Marande smiled at Uo and Yuki and moved aside from them, sitting next to Jirohino. Her sister smirked at her and said:

"That was close."

"Really close."

))((

When they had played three rows of the peg-game, they played hide and seek, then blindman's bluff. When everyone was rather exhausted of running around, they finallt sat down around the table and Tohru carried the food in. Yuki and Kyou helped her, not forgetting to glare fiercely at each other. Tohru nervously laughed at the two boys' quarrel.

"Itadakimasu", they all said, clapping their hands together. The food was, probably needless to mention, delicious. All ate in pleasure.

"Ah, Tohru-kun", Ayame said, "You're such a good chef. Would you mind to give me some private lesso-OUCH!" He was cut off by his shout. Yuki continued eating only slightly swaying when kicking Ayame under the table. Ayame whined silently:

"That was truly unnecessary, little brother.."

"Urusai, you _ecchi_. There's no way I'll leave you alone in the kitchen with Honda-san."

"How can you be so cold to your own brother?"

"Say 'brother' one more time and I'll shove a sakura branch where the sun doesn't shine."

Deep silence entered the room. There was only quiet jangling from the chopsticks hitting the foodcups. _Riiight, what was that all about?_ Arameda thought to herself.

))((

"Aw, are you sure you can't stay over?" Tohru asked when Uo-chan and Hanajima prepared themself to leave. Uo-chan sighed:

"I'd love to, Tohru-chan, but my mom really needs me tomorrow to help in her works."

"Neither you, Hana-chan?"

"Gomen, Tohru-kun. I promised to ... _help_ Megumi with his ... _works_."

Everyone in the room seemed to think what actually was this help with the works. And everyone in the room seemed to be hoping they wouldn't have thought about it. Tohru smiled a bit sadly.

"Well, sayonara Uo-chan, Hana-chan! Nice sakura-season to you!" she wished, waving to them as they left. She closed the door and turned to the others. Her eyes seemed to lighten up a little bit when she looked at the Karameru sisters.

"But you'll be staying over, won't you?"

"Hai, we will", Arameda said.

"Of course, if that surely isn't a trouble for you", Jelora hurried to add. Tohru's smile widened and she shook her head.

"Not at all! I'm happy to have guests in here!"

"Yeah, we also have to leave at some point", Hatsuharu said in a calm voice behind them. Momiji was still very joyous, but seemed a bit drowsy. Tohru thought for a moment.

"I know!" she said, "Before you leave, why won't we take a game of Dai Hin Min!"

"Certainly, I'm in!" Arameda said and Marande nodded,

"Me too."

"Weell.. it has been a while since I've played. What the heck, count me in, too." Kyou said, stretching himself. He glared at Yuki.

"Well? I guess you're going to participate as well, _kuso nezumi_."

Yuki glared back and shook his head yawning.

"No.. I think I'll just watch from the side."

"Then I'm going to play, just to beat Kyou!", Hatsuharu said, a small smirk sneaking it's way on his lips.

"You wish, _baka ushi_. There's no way you could beat me."

"Let's see, shall we?"

"Tohru-san, would you mind shuffling and dealing the cards?" Arameda asked, while sitting at the table. All others sat down as well, Kyou and Hatsuharu glaring at each other in "I'm-going-to-win-you-self-content-bastard" style. Tohru dealt the cards and played the first two cards.

))((

"Now just what the heck was that?! There's _no way _that kind of hand could beat mine!"

"Yeah, when did you last time check the rules? You're just a bad loser."

"Kyou-kun, Haru-kun..", Tohru tried to calm them down, but:

"Wait 'till the game's over, you idiot! Then we'll see who's the loser!"

"You are calling _me_ a _loser?!_"

Kyou shut up his mouth when he completely grasped the fact of Haru's changed voice tone.

"Oh shit."

"Yeah, right thing to say. _As you are one piece of it!_"

Tohru was now extremely nervous-looking. Aramed a and Marande looked frowning at the two quarreling bishounen. Or more like, one totally pissed off madman and one half-wit trying to think quickly. Hatsuharu leaned forwards and grasped Kyou by his shirt collar.

"_WELL? ARENT YOU GOING TO SAY ANYTHING, YOU-!_"

"Stop it! Let go of him!"

Everyone looked surprised at the source of the voice. Marande had stood up and was looking rather stricktly at Hatsuharu. The boy let go of Kyou who stumbled backwards, and stepped forwards to Marande.

"Oh yeah? And what are you going to do about it? Whine, whine, whine.. you little bitches can't do anything than just _whine_ all the -fucking- time!"

Marande took a deep breath.

"Everyone, move out of the way", she said, and nobody needed a second warning. Marande smirked really unusually and said in a low tone:

"Come on, big guy. Show what you're made of."

"Marande-san, I really think you shouldn't.." Tohru started, but was again cut off by others. Haru clenched his fists and dashed towards Marande. At the same moment Marande took another deep breath, brought her other hand close to her lips and raised other in front of her chest.

Hatsuharu swinged his arm backwards, ready to strike.

Marande closed her eyes, whispered something to herself, opened her eyes again and extended the arm from her chest.

Suddenly the whole room seemed completely quiet. There was a low humming you could hear in the bottom of the sea. A small flare of blueish aura flashed in Marande's hand - and then nothing.

Everyone stared blankly at her for a moment. Then they started to glance around the room, seemingly sensing something was different. Then Tohru gasped and pointed at Hatsuharu.

"What is it, Honda-san?" Yuki asked, and fell silent when he noticed Haru.

A silence. Broken by Kyou.

"He's inside a friggin' bubble! You'll drown him!"

"No I won't", Marande said, her teeth gritted, "He'll just have some time to cool off a bit." Everyone returned to stare at Hatsuharu, who's face had returned to the usual calm expression. Marande smirked again.

"I guess I could let him out now."

She slowly clenched her fist and the bubble around Hatsuharu somehow peeled off starting from the inside. When the last watery film had disappeared he stood blinking in the middle of the room, his clothes still dry. Marande gave a great yawn.

"Right, I think I'm going to pass the whole game now. What if we just say Kyou-kun won?"

"He did? Well, better luck for me next time", Hatsuharu said.

"Haru-kun.." Momiji whined, "I'm tired, I want to go home.." He swayed a bit on the sofa he was sitting on and then slumped against Jirohino's side. The girl looked at the sleeping boy slightly surprised, but smiled warmly.

"Yes, I think it's better for you to take off. This little fellow is ready for bed."

Hatsuharu shrugged his shoulders and gently picked Momiji onto his arms.

"I'll get you your coats and shoes!" Tohru hurried to the entrace-hall.

))((

After the last guests left, Tohru, Yuki, Kyou and the sisters stood in silence for a moment. Then Jelora cleared her throat.

"Yeah, um.. where are we going to sleep?" Tohru thought about this for a moment and then said:

"Well, Shigure-san's room is empty, since he went off to sleep at Ayame's place. So you four could match uo in there.. we just need to make the beds.."

"I'll help you", Kyou hurried to say and stepped closer to Tohru. After a moment he stepped back and turned around so they couldn't see his face. Jirohino somehow guessed he was furiously blushing. Tohru seemed a bit uneasy herself as well.

"Ano.. so we'll go make you your beds."

))((

"Are you guys sleeping yet?"

"No."

"No."

"Arameda?"

Silence.

"Arameda?"

"She's sleeping already, dummy."

"Oh."

A loud yawn.

"Eh, I think I'm trying to officially get some sleep. Oyasumi."

"Oyasumi."

))((

_Obscure figures swarming across her eyes. She saw a girl, then it was gone. Strange whispers in her head, and she was there again._

_"Hello sister, having sweet dreams? Don't worry I'll take care your 'friends'. Sweet dreams..."_

_And then screaming. It didn't stop. Lightnings and crackling and then darkness._

_A wind through the forest. Withered flowers on the ground._

Jirohino snapped awake from the nightmare and sprang up. She breathed hard, she felt swirling coldness inside herself.

"She's coming..", she whispered to herself, "..my god, she's coming.."

Jirohino glanced wildly around the dark room.

"I have to get out."

))((

Yuki couldn't get a wink of sleep. Funny, usually he was dreaming calmly after a few minutes. He rolled on his other side, trying to get sleep. His throat felt dry, he groaned and crambled up from his bed. After managing to open the room's door on the third try, he stumbled down the stairs and to the kitchen. He reached for a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water.

He took few sips when he noticed something weird in the living room. _Someone_ strange in the living room. Jirohino.

_What is she doing here..?_ he wondered. The girl was covering in the floor, her arms winded around herself.

Yuki put the glass down on a table and approached the lonely girl. He finally got to her and sat down next to her.

"Jirohino-san?" he asked curiously, "What are you doing down here?"

The girl turned to face him. She smiled:

"Nothing, Yuki-kun."

Her black eyes were gleaming in the darkness.

"Nothing at all."


	9. Journey to the Past

A/N: Yes! I loved writing this part. And I like this a lot! The complete explanation of Jirohino's past, flashbacks and angst. The fic is starting to get to the "actual thing", means the last fight for Jirohino and her sister.. who's -by the way- name is finally revealed in the next chapter. So stay tuned! And # # # means a flashback.

**kaguragirl14 **- Aw, thanks for the kind words.

**Bluesakuramon** - Hm, well. At least there's small indication to Yuki's feelings towards Tohru in this chappie. But I don't think I'm going to make Tohru and Kyou actually get together. Situation probably goes on as in the anime (though I haven't seen the ending so I don't know which one Tohru chooses, but I mean she's still choosing between Yuki and Kyou).

* * *

Arameda woke up in screaming. First she thought it was a dream, but when the screaming just didn't stop, she rose up and ran to the hallway. Jelora was awake, too, and Marande joined them soon.

"What's happening?" Jelora asked. Arameda didn't answer, instead she dashed down the stairs, a horrible foreboding in her heart.

When they all got in the living room, they all gasped in horror.

"No.." Marande whispered, but her words were drowned in the screaming and the crackling of electricity.

"NO! STOP IT! STOP IT _NOW_!"

* * *

Tohru woke up in screaming. She jumped up immediately and opened her room's door holding her ears.

"What.. What's going on?" she asked and almost fell over when Kyou suddenly bursted out of his room. The orange-haired boy looked at Tohru, then ran to the stairs and down them. Tohru ran after him:

"Kyou-kun, matte! What's going.." her voice trailed off as she saw where the screaming was coming from.

"Yu- Yuki-kun?" she asked, her voice trembling.

It was Yuki, Yuki who was squirming with pain and screaming when the electric went through his body. Tohru looked next to her and saw Arameda, Jelora and Marande standing there, their aura glowing and their element energy swirling around their hands.

Then Arameda charged.

* * *

"I SAID STOP IT!" Arameda screamed and released the fire from her hands. It hit Jirohino's body, and the current withered a bit. But soon it was as strong as before, like nothing had ever hit it. Then Jelora and Marande attacked.

"Oi! Lookie over here!" Jelora screamed, and for a moment, the girl with white hair turned to look at them, moving her attention from her victim.

That's when they hit her.

Two elements stroke her at the same time and she flew backwards. Yuki fell to the floor and suddenly there was a deep silence.

It was broken by a cry.

"Yuki!" Tohru cried and ran to the boy on the floor. Jelora kneeled down to him, and Arameda and Marande ran to Jirohino. Their sister was getting concious again.

She blinked a few times and scanned through the room. Then she spotted the unconcious Yuki lying on the floor, and crying Tohru next to her. Jirohino's face was full of horror.

"No..", she whispered, "No, no, no.." She crawled to the boy and grabbed his hand. Her eyes were full of tears.

"Please don't.. Please no.." She lowered her head, ".._Not...again.._."

* * *

"He'll survive", Arameda informed quietly. They all looked at her. She sighed.

"It's actually a miracle he survived alive from that, but yes.. he will."

Everyone looked at their hands, not a word was spoken. Arameda sighed again.

"I need two glasses of water", she said and Tohru took out two glasses and filled them while Arameda pulled out a small paper bag. She ripped it open and poured half of the blue powder into one of the glasses. She handed the glass to Jirohino who sipped it. Kyou frowned.

"What's that?" he asked.

"It's a simple medicine that'll help her gain her powers again after her twin's attack. I'll give some to Yuki, too." She took the other glass and walked to the stairs. Her steps faded, and a complete silence fell in the room. Jirohino was leaning against Arameda, Jelora sitting on her other side, and Tohru was sitting next to Kyou who seemed to ponder was it appropriate to throw his arm around her shoulders or not.

Tohru tried to say something, but her voice didn't seem to work. She gulped a couple times and then tried again:

"Jirohino-san.. I.. I know you probably don't want to talk about it, but.. a moment since you whispered something along the lines 'Not again'. Has this... ano.. happened.. before..?"

Jirohino paled even more if it was possible. She leaned closer to Marande, then quickly pushed herself away from her sister and reluctantly looked at Tohru.

".. I.. It... has.. a long.. time.... ago..", her voice was quiet and weak, Tohru needed to prick up her ears to hear it. Jirohino's eyes were obscure and they seemed to be looking to a place far away. A place only she could see.

"He was.." she suddenly spoke, when everyone thought she was going to quiet up, "..a very.. special person.. He really was." She turned her head so that her messy hair covered her face. When she spoke next her voice was trembling uncontrollably:

"I.. didn't .. _mean_ _to_..", she couldn't finish her sentence. Instead she collapsed against Marande's shoulder, quietly sobbing. Tohru looked at her horrified.

"Simasen! I.. I didn't want to upset you! I promise, I didn't..", she explained, her hands swinging in the air. Marande smiled to her.

"Don't blame yourself, Tohru-san. It's not your fault." Her smiled faded, and she glanced at the sobbing Jirohino.

"And it wasn't you fault either, Hino-chan. You shouldn't blame yourself." When she got no answer, she turned to Tohru and Kyou.

"You see.. when we still lived in Nagasaki, Jirohino.. she.." Marande's voice trailed off and she glanced at Jirohino again.

"Is it okay for you, Hino-chan? To talk about.."

".. Hai, it's okay.. they wanted to know.."

Marande hung her head a bit, then straightened up and continued:

"As I said, Jirohino was.. -for the lack of a better word- _in love_. They understood each other perfectly. They spent hours and hours of just talking to each other. And they just.. learned to love each other.." Marande's lips seemed to curve up for a smile, which faded immediately.

"We all grew closer to each other, he visited us often. And I already thought everything was perfect when.. one night we were spending the evening in our home. We, I mean me, Jelora and Arameda, had gone to another room by ourselves.. to give Jirohino and him some time together.. We didn't notice anything bad.. until the screaming started. We ran back, but we just... couldn't fight against her.."

# # #

_"Oh my god", she whispered._

_"For_ Kami-sama_ no sake, do something!" Humming noises, crackling and scrathing noises. Nothing worked. And the screaming continued._

_"DON'T! STOP IT NOW! LET GO OF HIM, GIVE JIROHINO BACK!"_

_No reaction. It continued for some time. Then the screaming stopped._

_The electricity died away. A loud thump as the body hit the floor and then a silence._

_Until the crying began.  
_

_# # #  
  
_

Tohru had clasped her hands over her mouth. She was staring at Marande, then at Jirohino, then back at Marande again. She lowered her eyes and stared at her feet.

Marande's voice was getting hoarse:

"It was.. too late. He was gone already.." She quieted up and Jelora cleared her throat before speaking:

"We buried him into a forest near us.."

# # #

_Four figures in a forest. A wind blowing gently through the woods, rustling the long black dresses. The fourth figure was covering on the ground._

_"Jirohino-san.."_

_"Hino-chan, we need to leave.."_

_"No. I won't leave him."_

_"You must. Come now, we must take off."_

_Jirohino wiped away the tears from her face, only to feel them rolling down her cheeks a second later._

_"You go. I'll... I'll come later."_

_"Hino-chan.."_

_"Go!"_

_She heard soft steps and rustling as her sisters left. She hung down her head. Tears dropping onto the ground. On white flowers on the grave._

_"I brought you flowers", Jirohino whispered, "white lilys.. You used to say.." A sob broke off her sentence._

_"You said.. I was you own.. white lily.."_

_"I'll never forgive her.. I won't.. And I'll never.. ever.. forget you.."_

_Sobbing shook her body. A wind swung the flowers slightly._

_"I'll never forget you, Yureko."_

_The wind died away when the girl ran out from the forest. The flowers lay on the grave. They withered in two days.  
_

# # #

After Jelora finished her telling, the only sound in the room was Jirohino's silent crying. Tohru was seemingly trying to hide the fact she was crying, too. Kyou finally couraged to put his arm on her shoulders. She leaned against him and for a second Kyou was afraid she would hug him enough to make him transform. When nothing happened, he sighed in relief and felt himself blushing a bit.

_Now I finally understand how serious her curse really is.. How much she's gone through.._

Arameda had came back. She was leaning on the doorway, listening. She had apparently heard the ending of their conversation. She looked at Tohru, then turned her eyes away and said:

"Tohru-san, you asked why we moved away.." She didn't need to finish her sentence. Tohru's breathing was more like shocked gasping.

* * *

Marande glanced at the rice door across the room. It was already more lighter in the outside. The sun was starting to rise. She turned to Arameda.

"Ara-chan.. how's Yuki-kun?" Arameda sat down next to her.

"He's okay.. a bit pale, and still unconcious, but I suppose he should awake during the day", she said, gently stroking Jirohino's hair. The girl had calmed down a bit, her breathing more peaceful.

"It's okay, imôtôsan. Nothing's wrong."

* * *

_..Sohma-kun.. ..Yuki-san..._

_What are they saying?_

_-ki-kun.. Wake up..._

"Sohma-kun!", Tohru said surprised when Yuki opened his eyes. He blinked a few timed and then scanned the room quickly. It was empty, only Tohru was sitting next to him. He himself was lying on his futon. He tried to sit up, but Tohru pushed him down."No! You need to rest, Souma-kun! Arameda-san said so!"

Yuki fell on his back and sighed.

"Wha.. What happened?" Tohru glanced at the floor.

"Sore wa.. You.. were attacked. Jirohino became her evil side and.. she attacked you.."

Yuki listened to her closely. Random images and memories started pushing their way back into his head. He let out a hoarse rattle and Tohru immediately leaned closer to him.

"I.. I remember electricity... It... It hurt.. so much.."

He heard a soft clink next to him and then Tohru handed him a glassful of weird blue liquid.

"Here, drink this. It's a medicine Arameda-san gave." Yuki took the glass and forced the bitter liquid down his throat. He handed the glass back to Tohru and laid back on his futon. Tohru smiled slightly to him.

"I'll leave you to rest", she said and left the room. Yuki rolled on his other side.

_But Honda-san, I don't want you to leave me..  
_

* * *

All the four sisters were sitting in the living room. Tohru was with Yuki, and Kyou had gone onto the roof. There was a deep silence.

"This can't go on like this", Arameda said, "She's getting stronger all the time.. This was only a foretaste of what she will be if Jirohino loses." She looked stricly at Jirohino.

"You must find out her name. Do whatever you can, but just get her name. For the sake of us. Them. And especially yourself." Jirohino nodded.

"I will, I promise."

"I'll get her name."


	10. How it begins

A/N: Waah! Gomennasai for the delayed updating! I had a slight writer's block here... probably why the text might look a bit tangled. In the beginning I put up some flashbacks, since I realized I hadn't told the sisters' earlier past yet. You realised they don't have a mother? Well, here's the explanation. Just to tie up some loose ends. (And I apologize for the weird/clichey name of Hino-chan's twin. I had to make up something.) And I had to make up new line breaks. Every time you see X/X it means a change of POV, place or time. FF has now finally screwed up with my text, and doesn't let me add line breaks or anything in my text. Blame the corrupted system, not me.

**Bluesakuramon** - Yeah, her twin. About the ending.. you'll see.

**kanamey** - Thankies, for nice words.

**sofia815** - No, Hino-chan doesn't like Yuki. In that way. He just happened to be there at the wrong time.

**azn anime addict47** - Yeah, the name thing is quite important in here. Thaks for the review.

**DarkMusic** - General arigatou for review.

**i love athrun** - Just for sure; you don't need to comment every chapter. Not especially with the same message.

**Alcapacien** - Okay. I need sad stuff now... err.. Thank you for reviewing (btw. I love your nick!).

Vocabylary:

okaasan - mother

otosan - father

yoru - night

hito - person ('no' is a genitive in Japanese)

Gambatte kudasai! - Do your best!

X/X

_They were 8 years old. Their aunt, who they were living with, was shoving pictures to them from a family album._

_"That's Anora, when she was 17", she said, pointing at a picture of a young girl with long golden hair. Jelora leaned closer to the picture._

_"Is that.. okaasan?" she said in a soft voice. Their aunt smiled._

_"Yes, she is your okaasan.. Sad she died so young.." She flipped a page around. There was a picture of their mother, standing next to a tall man. Their aunt let out a quiet gasp._

_"Oh, there they both are! Here's your otosan.. what was his name.. Takano? Somehing like that, I never knew him that well.." She made a soft clicking sound by her tongue._

_"Really, some pig he was. He left your mom right after when he heard she was pregnant... She didn't deserve that kind of treatment. And then she died.. Hardly had pushed little Jirohino out when she collapsed on her bed! No one could ever tell what killed her... "_

_Jirohino was sitting next to Arameda, her fire-haired sister gently holding her younger sister. Jirohino had already discovered her own curse. Her other sister. The one who killed their okaasan to her hospital bed._

X/X

_They were 10 years old. After school, Marande, Arameda and Jelora went to the nearby park to play with other children. Once Jirohino came with them. But she didn't feel like she could be with others. She was an outsider. A weirdo. A freak. Some boy throwed sand on her._

_The rest of the day Jirohino sat aside from others. Watching her sisters play with the others. When they happened to look at her direction she quickly turned her face away._

_That was the last time she went to the park._

X/X

_They were 14 years old. They were standing on their aunt's doorstep, hugging her and saying goodbyes. Their aunt had tears in her eyes._

_"Well, I hope you will find a good place to live! Take care of yourselves!" she wished to them when they closed the yard's gate behind them. Marande waved the last goodbye and ran to her sisters. It was time for them to start their own life. A future full of chances._

X/X

"Please, be careful. As bizarre it might sound.." Arameda said, her youngest sister drowsing on her futon.

Jirohino was trying to get sleep. Arameda was next to her, making sure she wouldn't get hurt. After all, meeting Jirohino's sister was never safe.

X/X

_The place had changed. I can hear voices. Whispers, and humming._

_"Ohayoo, sister-dear. What do I owe for this visit?"_

_"Cut the nice talk. There's things you've been hiding too long."_

_"Such as?"_

_Jirohino, to her own surprise, stepped closer to the shadows._

_"Who are you? Tell me your name!"_

_She didn't get an answer._

_"I asked your name!"_

_Then it happened. The shadow swirled around and Jirohino felt burning pain on her cheek. Her strike hurt more than a strike from a ghosting spirit should._

_"I hope I'm hearing wrong. You are trying to threaten me?!"_

_A strangling feeling around her neck. I can't breathe! Jirohino let out a slight gasp, and regretted it when she felt the pressure inside her chest growing. Shadows all around her..._

_"Yes, as you can see, I'm stronger. Much stronger from the time we met last time. And soon you, my dear sister, will die. And I'll take over you. And everything will finally be as it should have been.. from the beginning.."_

_The shadow leaned closer, her voice whispering into Jirohino's ear._

_"Soon, it'll be over soon... And you'll be gone and I'll come alive... Then I, yoru no hito, can finally take the power that belongs to me.."_

_Yoru no... hito..? Jirohino thought dimly. Her head seemed to be full of fog, everything was getting blurred and obscure.. She tried to get a grip on the thought.._

_Yoru no hito... There's something important in that.. But I can't..._

_"Yoru.." She whispered faintly. The shadow looked surprised at her. Jirohino's eyes fluttered open._

_"...no.. hito..yoru...hito.." Her eyes opened up more. She stared right back in her sister's eyes._

_"Yoruhito", she whispered and she felt the strangling aroud her neck loosen up._

"Jirohino-san!"

Arameda was calling her. Jirohino sprang up on her futon and breathed heavily.

"I know her name", she whispered.

X/X

"As when we have come to this", Arameda said. They were in Shigure's house. They and Tohru, Yuki, Kyou and Shigure, were sitting in the living room. Arameda continued:

"We are about ready.. to the final event. We are finally ready to destroy Yoruhito."

There was a silence. Arameda's words were pressed into everyone's minds and they were heavy words.

"Yoruhito..", Kyou tried the name, "..so that's her? Why couldn't you do it before this, anyhow?"

Arameda turned her head slowly at Kyou and said:

"There are power in names. You couldn't believe what all we could do to you only knowing your name."

Kyou paled a bit, hoping they didn't really intend to do anything.

"The first sort of a problem is... the place", Jelora said, "Of course, in theory we can do it anywhere possible, but if we find a place where we have been, but she hasn't. That would be the best. She has less power then. And.. if things don't go so smoothly as they're planned to, we'd probably end up blowing up our house."

Yet again, a silence. Then Tohru tried to speak:

"Ano.. this may sound really stupid, but.. what about.. the Souma estate? I mean, Ara-san, Jelora-san, Marande-san and Hino-san have all been in there. They know the place." Tohru looked around the persons in the room and then lowered her eyes. Marande smiled to her.

"That's really kind of you, Tohru-san, but what do the Soumas think about it?"

"Actually..", Shigure said, scrathing his head, ".. It isn't that bad idea. The Estate is strong made, and even if you break a room, or two or three, they're easily fixed."

He looked at Yuki and Kyou.

"Well, what do you think? Should I call Haa-san?"

The two boys shrugged their shoulders and Kyou said:

"If Hatori really let's you in there, it's your lucky day."

"Okay, I'll call him!" Shigure said, grinning and skipped out from the room.

X/X

An hour later Hatori arrived in front of Shigure's house. Jelora was clutching a bag of books in her hand. Jirohino seemed rather nervous and pale, Arameda and Marande were having a quiet conversation. Hatori stepped out and looked at Shigure who was hurrying to greet him.

"Is there any point of asking what's going on?" he asked. The sisters hurried to the car.

"No, there's not. We are in a sort of haste." Hatori opened the door and the all four packed in the backseat. Then he looked at Shigure and the others.

"Well? Are you coming, too?"

After some bustling around they managed to fit in the car (although they had to fit 7 persons in the backseat which was quite of a contract) and Hatori took off. The journey was silent. Then Hatori tried to speak once more.

"Honestly, I'd like to know what kind of a mess I'm getting myself in. So what's going on?"

"Too long story", Arameda said, "It's better to explain you later." Hatori sighed and concentrated again to the driving. And the silence continued.

X/X

Jirohino was holding her stomach. _My god, it hurts.._

_So, where are you going?_

_None of your bussiness!_

_The atmosphere is kinda pressuring.. You wouldn't be plotting anything against me, would you?_

_I'm not saying anything._

_Oh you aren't? Well, I have my ways of making you._

Jirohino felt herself chilly. Coldness crept inside her, froze her blood into ice. She gasped, and everyone's eyes in the car were focused on her. Arameda leaned closer to her.

"Hino-chan, are you okay?" she asked, then her expression froze. There were dark shadows in her sister's eyes. White and black, day and night were alternating. Arameda grabbed her sister by her shoulders.

"Jirohino! Don't! Hold on, just for a little while!"

Jirohino started coughing. She couldn't stop, every fit seemed to tear her insides apart. She gasped and spat bright red blood onto her palm. Arameda stared at her horrified. Then everything went black.

X/X

"Hino-chan!" Arameda cried out when her sister fell into her arms. Everyone in the car were fussing aroung, and Hatori had a hard time trying to keep the car on the road.

"Calm down, everyone! Or else we'll crash into someone! What's going on back there?"

"Hatori-san, just drive! As fast as you can!"

_There's a girl dying in my backseat, what the hell am I supposed to do?_ Hatori gritted his teeth and increased the speed.

"Ten minutes to go."

X/X

When they arrived to the Souma estate, the situation had gone much further. Arameda troublesomely carried unconcious Jirohino out from the car. Marande and Jelora running after her, faces pale, fists clenched. The Soumas and Tohru came after them, Hatori and Shigure contemplating where the girls could go to complete their mission.

"It won't be easy.. I guess.. Akito-san doesn't know about this, does he?" Shigure asked quietly. Hatori shook his head and frowned at Shigure.

"Speaking of which, what is 'this' thing all about? You guys seemingly didn't have the time to explain to me." Shigure sighed.

"Don't worry, I'll tell you later. Now we have more important matters.." His voice trailed off and the girls walking before him stopped. He frowned and realized the person standing in the hallway, holding a small white bird on his finger.

"Speak of the devil.." Shigure said, as Akito turned his head at their direction.

X/X

Arameda hold Jirohino in her arms and stared at the thin man as he walked closer to her. He smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Well... what an unexpected visit. I wonder why", he glared over the girls at Hatori, "I wasn't informed about this."

"We didn't have time", Arameda said. Akito looked down at her again.

"Time?" he asked, "People are always being too hasty. It'll take your life someday."

"Well, today it'll take Jirohino's life if we _don't_ hurry", Arameda snapped. Akito took a closer look at the unconcious girl. He raised his hand to touch her cheek and Arameda pulled away and held her sister closer.

"We must hurry", she said. Akito didn't answer, he just looked at Arameda with his black eyes. Arameda almost shivered by how those eyes looked so much as someone else's..

"I've heard mean things about you, Akito-san. That you make people feel morbid and unhappy. That you scare them.. and want only bad for them.. but.." Arameda raised her eyes and looked straightly at the man's own. Akito waited her to continue.

"But...Jirohino said you aren't really like that. You really aren't. And I think she really meant what she said.. Do you want to lose a person like that?"

Akito stared at her. Then he looked at Jirohino, then at Arameda again. He sighed slightly, closed his eyes - and moved aside.

Arameda hurried forwards and her sisters followed her. The Soumas went after them, Hatori slightly slowing down when passing Akito, then walking away. Akito leaned against the wall, head hanging low.

"She really said that?"

X/X

"Are you really going to be okay?" Hatori asked from the door. Jelora turned to him.

"Hai, we are. Let's hope we'll be after this all, too", she said, a sad smile on her face. She turned again to the centre of the room, where Jirohino lay on the floor. Marande and Arameda were standing a few metres away from her, a concentrated look on their faces. The Soumas and Tohru slowly backed away from the door. Finally Tohru closed it, and mouthed the words 'Gambatte kudasai' to the girls. They tried to smile assuringly to her. The door closed and silence fell into the room.

"Maa.. then.. should we get ready?" Marande said quietly. Arameda nodded and arranged the three candles before her. Black, red and white. She quietly lighted them up and stood up again. Jirohino made a soft sound. Everyone of them tensed up and shot worried glances at each other. Jelora swallowed hard.

"So... this is how it begins.."

"... or ends.."

X/X

"Seriously, is anyone going to explain me what's going on?" Hatori asked. They were waiting in a room which was some way away from the room the girls were in. Tohru poured some tea for them, though no one actually wanted it. She cleared her throat.

"Yes.. what is going on.. Ano... well, how did they explain it us.."

"She said.." Tohru slightly startled by the sudden voice. She looked at Kyou, who had started talking.

"..something about a second personality.. and a dead twin.." He looked at Tohru. He tried to smile.

"Eh, yeah, what did she actually say, Tohru-kun?" Tohru blushed slightly and lowered her head. She stammered a bit.

"Jirohino-san... she... had a twin.. but she died. Before they were born. She was evil, and they thought she completely died... but she didn't. She's half possessing Jirohino's body. That's... that's probably why Kyou-kun and Yuki-san didn't transform when hugging her. And so... they said.. The sisters, I mean, said Jirohino's twin was getting stronger, and more dangerous. So I guess... this is it. They're finally going to erase her completely." Tohru quietened up. They heard a quiet wind from the outside, shaking the outer doors.

"She attacked Shigure... and Yuki..", Kyou said quietly. Hatori flinched.

"Attacked? What do you mean attack-?"

"As I said... she's dangerous. She has a power.. to control electricity. Yuki-san.. was quite badly hurt..."

"It's okay, Honda-san", Yuki said. She turned at him. Yuki smiled to her.

"I'm not going to leave you like that. Never."

X/X

Jirohino opened her eyes. Marande took a sharp breath. The white-haired girl on the floor quickly glanced around the room. She recognized her sisters. A grinding pain inside her. She let out a quiet yelp. Her sister immediately tensed up. Jirohino opened her eyes, now glistening from upcoming tears.

"Arameda.." she said, looking at her sister. She stared back at her.

"..Arameda... it hurts.." She grimaced and sobbed quietly. Fists glenched tight. Jelora gasped as she saw few drops of blood dripping from her sister's hands.

And then, suddenly, Jirohino screamed.

She arched her back away from the floor. And just when it looked it was going to snap into two, she slammed back onto the floor, whimpering quietly. Her breathing was hard, she coughed a bit, fighting for breath.

"Jirohino, hold on!" Arameda shouted as her sister screamed again. She shook violently and tossed around on the floor. Then she curled up into a ball and her sisters could hear her crying.

"Please.. make it stop... it hurts... make it stop.." She took a final sharp breath, and fell limp.

After some time she began moving again. She opened her eyes and nimbly stood up. A cruel smile danced on her lips, making her black eyes glisten. She slowly turned around looking every sister in the eye.

"Well... not as warm welcoming I had expected", she said. As nobody answered to her, she smirked and turned at Jelora.

"Maa, oneesan. Aren't you going to say anything?"

Jelora's green eyes stared coldly into her sister's black ones. Yoruhito chuckled and turned away.

"Well... if you're not going to say anything, I'd suggest we'd get straight to the bussiness." She turned quickly around and sent a burst of electric towards Arameda.

"Arameda!" Jelora shouted. Her sister quickly repelled the attack, burst of fire flaming around her. Yoruhito's eyes stared at Arameda, full of anger.

"Okay, then try to take _this_!" she shouted and stepped backwards, raising her hands in the air. They heard a loud crack and suddenly electricity shot out from her body and hands. She created a thunder storm around her. As the same moment, Arameda, Jelora and Marande all gathered their powers as well.

Marande opened her eyes, holding a water shield around her. Jelora opened her eyes. The wooden floor beneath them had started to grow small sprouts. Arameda opened her eyes, having a burst of fire twirling around her, making her hair sway.

"So, shall we start?" she asked.

X/X

In the other room everyone had suddenly fell completely silent. Tohru gulped.

"Souma-kun.. the floor's shaking.."

"What the heck was that noise?" Kyou asked, "Are they going to destroy the whole place?" Hatori looked at Shigure.

"Are you sure they'll be okay?" he asked. Shigure shrugged his shoulders.

"How could I know. I wish they are, since I'd rather not die this young.."

X/X

_Thump!_ Yoruhito's body hit the floor. She stayed there, breathing heavily. The other girls around her were exhausted as well. Jelora had a small wound on her right temple. Yoruhito slowly got up and glared at Arameda.

"It's no use.. Your sweet Jirohino will be gone soon, and then you can do nothing against me." Arameda gnashed her teeth.

"You will not do anything to her. Marande!" she suddenly shouted. Her sister shot an energy attack at Yoruhito. She repelled it easily with an electric shield.

"As I said, it's no use. Her powers are fading already.."

X/X

_Don't you... dare to... kill.. them.._

_Why shouldn't I? They're just harm for me. And you._

_They're my sisters!_

_So am I! Have you forgotten that?_

_.. No.. I haven't.. It's kinda hard to forget.._

_Are you completely daft? Look what they've done to you!_

_What do you mean?_

_They drove you into this condition.. we could have become friends.._

_That's only, and only your own fault!_

_Listen to me.. I care you twice as much as them.._

_Yeah, you've shown it really well._

_Shut up. I do. You haven't noticed how they act when you don't see?_

_.. What? Do they.._

_You're just a burden to them. They don't love you._

_They do!_

_They don't. Believe me.._

_... They... don't..?..._

X/X

"What are you doing to her?!" Marande shouted. Yoruhito smiled.

"Nothing too big... just convincing her you don't care the shit if she dies.." Marande's expression froze.

"You're doing what?"

"Ever heard the term 'psychological war'? As soon as she's convinced, she's no trouble at all anymore. She'll gladly... let herself die."

"NO!"

X/X

_And you know what? Do you really think_ he _loved you?_

_.. You're saying..?_

_Your sisters. They set him up with you. He only "dated" you for pity._

_No.._

_It makes sense, doesn't it? Since the beginning you've been the obstacle for them to be happy._

_But... but he said he loved me!_

_People say that all the time nowadays. You shouldn't take them too seriously. Jirohino.. don't harm yourself any longer. It's no use._

X/X

Yoruhito smiled widely.

"Ah... she's starting to give up.." Arameda stared at her.

"You're lying", she said. Yoruhito looked at her:

"Oh really? Then, I must give you a proof." She closed her eyes and as she opened them, it was Jirohino again, staring out of them. Marande gasped.

"Hino-chan! Are you-?"

"Is it true?" Jirohino asked. Tears started to fall from her eyes.

"So you..never.. all this time.. you just... you lied?"

"No!" Jelora shouted, "We'd never lie to you, Jirohino! Don't listen to Yoruhito!"

Silver turned back to black. Yoruhito smiled to Jelora.

"So there. She's dying."

X/X

_I can't believe.. they really did.. never.._

_You're just hurting yourself._

_I.. I.._

_And then she fell._

X/X

"Jirohino!! Don't!" Jelora shouted. Yoruhito raised her face at the roof. Her eyes gleamed and a maniacal smile spread across her face. She laughed.

"She's gone. She's finally gone." She looked down again, and saw the terrified looks on the sisters' faces.

"Say goodbyes to your sweet Jirohino."


	11. And how it ends

A/N: Woo-hoo! I made it! The last actual chapter, the epilogue is still to come. But still. Woo, the main story is ready. One of my rare finished fics. So, enjoy it!

Thank yous to **Bluesakuramon**, **kanamey** and **azn anime addict47**.

X/X

"She... she's...?" Arameda gasped for air. Then she frowned, her eyes turning into thin slits and she yelled:

"You're lying! Jirohino.. Jirohino's not gone!" Yoruhito turned to smile to her.

"Oh? And how are you going to prove it?" She turned and extended her hand towards Jelora. The brown-haired girl jerked back and collapsed on her knees. She shouted from pain.

"Jelora!" Marande exclaimed and tried to move towards her sister, but Arameda said:

"Don't! Don't leave your place! It'll make sure we lose!" Marande reluctantly stayed still, and Yoruhito focused all her mind at Jelora. The girl struggled under her strong powers. Finally Yoruhito slitted her eyes, making a grasping gesture in the air, and Jelora fell to the floor, crying out with pain inside her.

Yoruhito smiled satisfacted.

"See? It's impossible for you to resist me anymore. Your little Hino-chan's gone.. and soon Jelora-chan as well-"

"You.. son... of a.. _bitch.._" Jelora croaked hoarsely, getting up from the floor.

"Jelora-san!" Marande said surprised. Her sister got up wearily.

"You're nothing.. than just a liar. You cannot kill Jirohino. And you cannot get her powers.. you're not born to that." Yoruhito stared at her. Then she smirked.

"Oh yeah? And what do you know? I could take your powers", she snapped her fingers, "in a second."

"Then why won't you?" Jelora asked. Her sisters noticed her aura suddenly started to glow brighter. Brighter than ever. Small sparkles of green randomly ran up from her feet.

"Why won't you try to take - _this!_" She shouted. Suddenly the floor, and the ground beneath them started to tremble. The wooden floor started to grow; sprouts, plants, vines. Jelora raised her hands, and a tower of aura swirled around her. Then they heard a loud crack. The floor... bursted open.

"Arameda! Your turn!"

Arameda merely nodded. She closed her eyes... and then opened them. Even Marande stepped back because of the burning flames bursting from her sister. And Arameda's eyes.. they weren't brown anymore. Now they were sparkling, bright red and blazing like fire.

"Marande!"

She heard a yell. She quickly closed her eyes and concentrated. A familiar, warming feeling spread from her stomach to everywhere in her body. She felt her hands started to tremble, and tried to stop it. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Yoruhito looking at her. They stared at each other for a moment.

An arrogant smirk. Marande felt her insides well with anger. She raised her hands.

"DIE!"

X/X

"What's going on!"

Tohru shrieked a bit when her teacup dropped to the floor. They all had pressed closely to the ground, which had started to shake violently.

"A- an earthquake?" Tohru asked quietly. Yuki shook his head.

"No... somehow I have the feeling this has something to do with-"

_Kabam! _A sudden explosion startled them all. The shaking started to decrease. Everyone slowly rose up. Several persons were gasping slightly.

"Ano.. are you sure we shouldn't go in there?"

"I'm sure. If _they_ can't handle it, what can we do?" Hatori said, lighting a cigarette. He took a long drag from it and then slowly breathed it out. He shook his head.

"No, it's better we stay in here."

X/X

Yoruhito smirked. She slowly turned around.

"Mm-hmm. I'm quite impressed. You've really started train up a little bit. But seriously", she turned to look at Arameda, "Do you really think that's enough?"

Arameda gritted her teeth.

"At least we can try. NOW!" She screamed and sent a burst of fire towards Yoruhito. At the same moment Jelora attacked with the powers of the Earth, and Marande with Water. Yoruhito widened her eyes, then slitted them.

"You - _bitches_!"

The elements met the electricity. A huge explosion and a wave of pressure threw all the sisters backwards. Arameda breathed heavily and troublesomely stood up, leaning on the wall. Yoruhito greeted her with a smirk.

"And you're still figting. Didn't I tell you already?" her eyes glinted malevolently, "She's dead. Give up already."

"No..", Arameda whispered. Jelora and Marande slowly got up as well. Arameda grimaced. Her left side.. it hurt. Somewhere deep inside. She gasped from pain, then tried to pretend she didn't. She looked again at Yoruhito.

"No.. she isn't gone. She can't be!"

Arameda looked anxiously at Yoruhito. _There must be... something. Something to prove she's lying. Jirohino... Jirohino can't be gone... _Her eyes locked up on Yoruhito. She stared at her hair. It had turned to black, there wasn't even a single white strand in it. _There must be something.. _She gasped in surprise. Drew breath when hope lit up in her heart.

She waited.. it may have been just an illusion... no. Another slight sway. Her hair.. swung by the invisible wind. Arameda felt a wide grin spread on her face. She looked Yoruhito in the eyes.

"You're lying. Don't even try to deny it. I know." She stood up straightly.

"Jirohino's not gone. We will bring her back, now. And you can do nothing about it." Arameda looked at her sisters. She nodded silently.

"Now."

X/X

_rohino... Hino-chan... Jirohino..._

_Was.. Was it ? Am I still being?_

_I can't think... clearly.. feel like fading..._

_... away.._

Jirohino!

_W- Who? My.. name? Jirohino.. that's... me._

_Conciousness like a slippery bridge of ice. I can feel myself gliding closer to the edge.. I don't know should I stop myself.._

Jirohino!

_They're... who... my sisters.. They're calling me._

_I can't open my eyes. It's... dark. Nothing._

_I don't.. want... to..._

_/live/ ...don't want... /die/_

_... I'm not dying._

X/X

Screaming. Empty, high-pitched screaming. Yoruhito fell to the floor. Her chest was barely rising. Her breathing was broken and difficult. She turned her head and looked at each sister in turn. Her eyes fluttered closed.. and opened with much more difficulty than before.

"You.. you...", she grimaced, "..god..damn... bitches.."

Arameda extended her hand. Her eyes were cold and hard.

"It's better we finish this. Now. Jelora, Marande. Work with me." Her sisters extended their hands as well. Arameda closed her eyes and spoke in concentrated and clear voice:

_"With the powers of the Fire.."_

_".. of the Earth.."_

_"..of the Water.."_

_"..we summon the Air. Fourth of the four will now join us and let the circle be whole. Step aside, darkness. We order you to step aside with the power of the Elements."_

Arameda slowly opened her eyes. Before her, Yoruhito was covering up on the floor, her fists clechent into balls. Her whole body was shaking.

_"We order you, daughter of darkness. Daughter of night, Yoruhito. Be gone. Now and forever."_

Yoruhito screamed. Her head shot up and she leapt on her feet. She tugged her hair, and screamed. Electricity swarm around her, but now it was hurting her. She bit her lip, so hard the blood started to run down her chin. Her hysterical eyes stared at Arameda. Her face warped into a mask of horror.

Suddenly the electicity filled the whole room.

Arameda could feel her feet rising from the ground, and herself flying backwards through the air. There was a huge flash of pure white light - and then darkness.

X/X

_Like breaking the surface of the water. I'm feeling myself rising up again. And I can breathe. It feels so good to breathe real air. I.. I-_

Jirohino snapped her eyes wide open. She quickly sat up, then collapsed to the ground immediately when the pain hit her. She saw her sisters lying in the opposite corners of the small room. One of the walls... the rice-paper door was broken. She saw a figure lying in there, on the hallway, but then her wiev obscured and she fell unconscious.

X/X

Everyone was still and quiet. A few seconds before, a major explosion shook the whole room. After that it became quiet. Hatori took a sharp breath of air and leapt up on his feet.

"Haa-san! Where are you going?"

Shigure stood up and ran after him. He stepped into the hallway and saw Hatori running towards a small figure in the end of the corridor. Shigure saw a flash of red hair and frowned. He turned at the room the others were still in.

"Come on! There's something happened in there!" he said and started running.

"Gee, we surely didn't know that, did we?" Kyou said sarcastically and shut up when Yuki glared at him. They ran to Hatori and Shigure, who were kneeling next to unconscious Arameda. Hatori was currently examining the wound on her head. He turned around to Tohru, Kyou and Yuki.

"Tohru-san, Kyou-kun, go and make four beds ready for them. Yuki-kun, go and get a first-aid kit and disinfectant." All three nodded and went on their ways.

Hatori settled Arameda to lie on her back and then went inside the room. It was dark, all the light had gone out. Hatori tried the light switch. It took a moment before the lights snapped back on. Hatori saw Jirohino, Jelora and Marande lying on the floor, all unconscious.

"Shigure! You take care of Jelora-san." Shigure nodded as Hatori kneeled next to Jirohino. The girl didn't seem to be bleeding. Hatori gasped when he saw the girl's hand. It was covered in scalds, as were her feet. Hatori decided to treat them with burn cream and ice. He moved onto Marande. She had a large wound on her head, and her left hand seemed oddly limp. Hatori heard someone coughing behing him. He turned around and saw Yuki in the doorway.

"Ano.. I brought the first-aid kit." Hatori nodded.

"Good. You can help cleaning their wounds."

X/X

An hour or so later the girls were lying on futons Tohru and Kyou made for them. As a summary, Arameda had a large lump on her occiput and a small puncture wound on her left side. Jelora and Marande both had a wound on their temple, plus Marande's left arm was broken. Jirohino didn't have any other wounds than the scalds all over her body.

Tohru had promised to sleep in the same room with them.

All they could do was to wait the sisters to wake up.

All they could do, was to wait.

X/X

_.. So bright.. my eyes... hurt.._

Jirohino's eyes fluttered open. She closed them immediately, the sunlight made her head ache. She turned her head and let out a quiet moan. She heard movement from the room and opened her eyes again.

"Oy, you okay?"

Kyou was sitting a few meters away from her. Jirohino slowly sat up and glanced around the room.

"Wh- Where am.."

"You're in the Souma Estate. Been already for two days. Your sisters woke up yesterday so we were kinda worried about you", Kyou said. Jirohino nodded.

"So.. they are awake already?"

"Yeah, I think Jelora is taking a walk. The two others.. don't know." Kyou shrugged his shoulders. "But they're okay. How're you feeling?"

Jirohino massaged her temples.

"I...I'm fine. I think." She noticed the bruises on her arms and gasped. Kyou noticed her reaction and said:

"Don't worry. Haa-san said they're healing quite quickly." Jirohino nodded again and lowered her arms.

_Somehow.. Somehow I feel different.. I can't say what it is.. I feel.._

She gasped when she remembered. _But... is she.. did they... _

She turned at Kyou. The boy looked strangely at her.

"Oy, are you oka-"

"Kyou-kun. Hug me", Jirohino said strictly. Kyou gaped at her.

"Wha? What do you mean hug y-GYAAH!" He was cut off by Jirohino clinging to him. A moment of silence and then - _POOF!_

An orange cat stared fiercely at Jirohino.

"What the hell's wrong with you? Why did you just-!" He stopped speaking when he noticed the look on Jirohino's face. The girl smiled. Actually smiled. Her smile widened, she chuckled quietly..

Kyou realized it was the first time he ever heard the girl laughing. It was pure, relieved, happy laugh. He heard sounds from the door and turned around.

Arameda was standing in the doorway, watching her sister. Slowly Jirohino noticed her and smiled to her. Arameda couldn't stop herself from running to her sister and hugging her tightly. They both laughed together.

"She's gone. She's finally gone", she whispered to Jirohino.

Kyou couldn't do anything but stare. His anger... he couldn't be angry anymore. But what was it? Why was she so hap-?

Suddenly Kyou tensed in his cat form.

"Shimatta", he cursed. The girls looked questioningly at him.

_POOF!_

"Yaah!" Arameda quickly grabbed Jirohino's head and turned them both away from Kyou. The boy blushed and quickly picked his clothes from the floor.

"... Okay, you can look now", Kyou's rather irritated voice said behind the girls. Jirohino was furiously blushing, and Arameda was seemingly trying not to grin widely.

"Oh, Hino-chan, you must be hungry", she said, getting up, "So.. I'll go find some food, ne?" She smiled and left.

X/X

After some silence, Jirohino asked:

"Eto... Kyou-kun.. anything happened between you and Tohru?"

Kyou nearly choked on his own breath. He blushed hard and looked at Jirohino.

"Wha - H - How'd you..?" he stuttered. Jirohino flashed one of her rarely seen smiles.

"Oh, come on. A woman knows these things", she said, tapping her head knowingly. She looked at the floor and was quiet for a moment.

"You know... She doesn't hate you. Certainly doesn't. You just need to learn to control your anger. She seems to think you hate her... or something. Anyways, you both misunderstand each other. And that doesn't lead to anything, does it?"

She looked at Kyou, who stared at her his eyes wide. He scratched his head.

"Uh.. damn, I dunno.."

"Jirohino-san! You're awake!" They heard a cheery voice from the door. Jirohino grinned behind her hand.

"..speak of the devil..or an angel, more like.." she muttered to herself before removing her hand before her mouth and smiled to Tohru.

"Yeah, I've been awake for a small while now. Ara-chan went to find some food."

Tohru smiled:

"Ah, hai. I think I could go and help her. It's easy to get lost in here." She was about to leave when Jirohino hurried to say:

"Oh, Kyou-kun. Go and help Tohru-san." Kyou turned to look at Jirohino with his eyes darkening warningly. Jirohino ignored this and nudged the boy on his side.

"Go on, silly cat. Be nice to her."

Kyou lowered his head in defeat and stood up growling. Jirohino heard their voices fading away as they walked.

"A - Ano.. Kyou-kun, have you.. um, been okay?"

"..Yeah, isn't that quite obvious?"

"G - Gomen! I'm just being silly again and I.."

"No, it's... nothing. No need to apologize."

"Really? Oh, good. Anyways, I was thinking about- OH NO!"

_POOF!_

"Kyou-kun! Oh no! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to, I swear!"

"... you.. just... gah, forget it.."

Jirohino closed her eyes and shook her head. _Well, at least I tried._


	12. Epilogue

A/N: It's finally over! The epilogue is here. Read it, read it! And remember to comment! And major thank yous to everyone who reviewed this fic at any time being (means also everyone who reviews this afterwards I've posted this)! _Thank you! _ Oh, and Je-chan is short for Jelora.

Betsuni Nothing

Sayonara Goodbye

Iie No

Nanda What the... (or that is how I use it)

X/X

"Je-chan..", Marande poked the sleeping Jelora's head.

"..Wakie wakie... the class is over already.." The only answer she could get was a quiet snore. Marande grabbed Jelora by her cheeks and pulled.

"Oy! Wake up, you baka!"

"Waaaah! It's the monster of the Black Lagoon!"

_Smack!_

"Urusai. It's me."

"Oh, oneesan...hi", Jelora greeted her with a slightly embarassed smile. Marande shook her head and grabbed her sister by her arm.

"Come on, already. Ara-chan and Hino-chan are waiting."

X/X

_Two months.. it's been two months already.. Whew, time really has gone flying,_ Jirohino though when she was on her way to home with her sisters. Suddenly she stopped when she remembered something. She turned to her sisters.

"Umm.. I just remembered I had to do something after school.. So you go home, and I'll come later", she said. She received three pairs of raised eyebrows.

"Why's that?" Marande asked, "Where are you going?"

Jirohino shook her head:

"Just one place. Very well, mata ne!" She waved goodbyes and ran away. Jelora clicked her tongue.

"Geez, it's the third time already. Wonder, where she's going?" She looked at Marande and Arameda:

"Do you guys have any clues?" Marande shook her head, and Arameda gave a sly smile. Jelora's eyes twinkled.

"Well? Ara-chan?" Arameda's face changed back to expressionless. She shrugged her shoulders.

"Betsuni", she said and turned to continue her way to home. Jelora's jaw dropped open.

"Oh, come on! You obviously know something! Tell me!" Jelora bounced after Arameda. She didn't answer. Marande shook her head amused and followed her sisters.

While ignoring her sister's begging, Arameda mused in her head:

_So... she's finally found him again._

X/X

Jirohino knocked on the wooden outer door. She waited, heard steps from inside, and then the door opened. Hatori frowned at her.

"You're here? Again?"

"Don't sound so annoyed, Hatori-san. And let me in, it's cold in here", Jirohino said, flashing a sweet smile. Hatori sighed and stepped aside to let the girl in. Jirohino took off her coat and followed Hatori, who had started walking a very familiar route.

"I'm not sure if it's the best time to visit him. Akito has been a bit irritating lately", Hatori said while they were walking. Jirohino shrugged:

"Tell me when Akito's not a bit irritating. It's his basic mood." Hatori stiffened a chuckle and stopped in front of Akito's door. He knocked gently.

"Akito-san?" he asked.

"_What?_" a voice came through the door. It was, indeed, sounding rather irritating.

"Jirohino-san's here.. She came to visit you", Hatori continued, even when he would have rather not. There was a short silence. Then the door suddenly slided open and Hatori stepped back in surprise as Akito stood in front of him. But he wasn't looking at him.

"Jirohino..san?" he asked quietly. Jirohino nodded and smiled at him.

"Ohayoo gozaimasu, Akito-san", she said, bowing slightly. Akito raised his eyebrow at this gesture. He turned at Hatori.

"Very well. You go, Hatori-san."

The doctor nodded, bowed and walked away. Jirohino smiled again and Akito turned around and walked across his room.

"Close the door behind you", she said and stopped to look out from the window. Jirohino slid the door closed and stood there for a moment, thinking should her, or should her not, walk to Akito. After some time she sighed and quietly moved to the window as well, standing a bit behind Akito.

"Stand fairly next to me, I can't see what you're doing when you're standing on there", Akito snapped. Jirohino flinched a bit and took a step forwards. They stared out for a moment, then Jirohino glanced quickly at her feet before speaking:

"Ano.. has something happened? You.. seem a bit tense." Akito gritted his teeth:

"Do I?"

Jirohino forced herself to speak, though her sensible side said not to. Akito always used this to people.

"Tell me", Jirohino said. First, Akito didn't answer. But Jirohino was used to it.

"I..I can't quite...", Akito searched for words, ".. quite remember my childhood. One of the rare memories I want to keep... is this scent." Jirohino frowned:

"What scent?"

"Cold.. not actually cold. When you smell the snow and winter in the air, though it's not snowing yet. I can't say it accurately.. but I remember it from a long time ago."

Jirohino waited. Akito had the habit of slowly leading the conversation into the actual subject. He spoke again:

"See.. I never knew when I was born.. And I was kept inside, in a closed room so I never saw the seasons changing. And then first time I remember going out... it was this scent in the air. And so... I started to think about my past..", he chuckled quietly,

"Maa, I know actually nothing from my first living years... Pathetic. The word I never thought I'd call myself." Jirohino was silent. She waited if Akito was still going to speak. She had learned not to interrupt him. When he didn't continue, she started quietly:

"You're not. Pathetic. Certainly not. When you consider the way you were raised, it's not a surprise you feel that way. But you really... shouldn't blaim yourself. I spent over a year of my life blaiming myself, so I know what's it like. If someone made wrong against you, it's not a reason for you to feel that way. There's nothing wrong in you. Nothing."

Jirohino quietened up. They heard a distant rumbling from outside. Slowly, it started to drizzle.

Jirohino heard a soft rustle next to him. She turned her head and saw Akito had turned to look at her. His black eyes, no longer cold but now warm and more friendly, were looking in her eyes. They stared at each other for a moment, then:

"Arigatou", Akito whispered. Jirohino smiled. She turned again and walked to the doors wich led to the backyards and gardens. She opened them wide open and turned to say to Akito:

"Well, since you're not sure about your birthday, why won't we celebrate it toda-"

_Kaboom!_ A lightning tore the sky and the drizzle turned into a heavy rain.

The rain poured down to the ground and the people who hadn't gone inside when the drizzling started, now ran looking for a shelter in a hurry.

They both stood still, listening the clapping of the thunder. Akito let out a strange voice, it was somewhere between a chuckle and a snort, and Jirohino turned to look at him. The man stared outside, his face vacant. He glanced at Jirohino.

"Well.. this weather does not quite call me to celebrate. What if we skip it over for tomorrow, perhaps?" he said. Jirohino grinned.

"Yeah, sure." She walked back inside the room.

"Oh well, I musn't stay too long. My sisters are getting worried about me", she said. She looked at Akito and smiled to him.

"So.. Sayonara. For the time being", she said. Akito nodded.

"Sayonara."

Jirohino picked her coat and walked to the door. When she was opening it, she heard Akito speaking again:

"You probably don't have an umbrella with you, do you?" Jirohino shook her head:

"Iie."

"Very well. Ask Hatori to borrow one for you. You can return it the next time you visit."

Jirohino smiled to herself.

"Okay. Sayonara."

"Sayonara, Jirohino-san."

X/X

"Nee, Hino-chan! Tell me! Ara-chan was a big meanie and didn't tell me even when she obviously knows!" Jelora babbled, clinging to Jirohino and crying crocodile tears. Jirohino raised her eyebrows at Arameda, who gave her a wink in return, in which Jirohino answered with a grimace. She chuckled.

"Je-chan, it's too horrible for your young ears to hear.."

"Shaddap, Hino-chan. You're younger than me, remember that. Now, speak!"

"But just a second ago you told me to shut up."

"Hino!"

Arameda shook her head and got upand walked to Marande who was sitting with Tohru. They were again at Shigure's house, it was weekend and they didn't have school.

"She never stops, does she?" Marande said, nodding at Jelora's direction. Arameda chuckled and said:

"So it seems."

They heard steps behind them and they turned around. Yuki had walked to the living room.

"Oh, you're here", he said, referring to the sisters. Then he turned to Tohru and said:

"Ah, Honda-san. I'd like to change a few words with you if you don't mind."

"Oh, not at all, Souma-kun!" Tohru said and got up. They walked to the kitchen door and stayed there, talking in a low tone so Arameda and Marande couldn't hear them. Arameda noted Yuki's cheeks seemed redder than usually, and he kept looking at his hands almost constantly. She grinned knowingly. Marande glanced at her.

"You noticed as well?"

"Of course. Only an idiot wouldn't."

"Nanda.. What does the _kuso nezumi_ think he's doing?"

Kyou had entered the living room and was staring at Yuki and Tohru. Arameda grinned even wider.

"So, he noticed it too. It seems he wasn't as stupid as I thought."

"And what's that supposed to mean?!"

"Betsuni."

Kyou stared at the pair on the kitchen door and started marching towards them. But he didn't go and tell Yuki to scram off, as Arameda thought, but instead he coolly walked into the kitchen between the two. Yuki stared annoyed at him, and Kyou glared back as fiercely. He took his milk carton out from the fridge and stood there, a few metres away from Yuki and Tohru.

"You have to stand just there?" Yuki asked him. Kyou glared at him.

"Yes. You got a problem with that?"

"In fact I do."

"Well boo-hoo, rat boy. Scram off."

"Why?"

"You very well know why!"

"Mm-hmm. In fact I do. But Honda-san here doesn't. Should I tell her?", Yuki asked. Kyou froze still and looked at Tohru for a moment. Then he turned at Yuki again.

"Damn you! You wanna fight this off?!"

"Go on, if you want. I'll win anyway."

"Why you little-!"

"Please, don't fight! Souma-kun, Kyou-kun!" Tohru said. The boys calmed down (or Kyou calmed down, more like) and looked at her. Kyou sighed and put the milk away.

"Whatever", he said and walked past them. He gave Yuki a "don't-you-dare-to-do-anything" look and then walked up the stairs to his room. Tohru stood there, a bit nonplussed what just had gone on. Arameda called from the living room:

"Oy! Anyone up to Dai Hin Min?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Count me in."

"Me too."

"And make sure Je-chan doesn't cheat."

"I never cheat!"

"You do."

"I don't."

"Shut up and play."

Owari


End file.
